Zycho32 Posted July 10, 2019 Author Share Posted July 10, 2019 You know, given that I've done this before, multiple times in fact, decades like this should've been easy for me. Well, apart from losing my data multiple times over the years, having last tried this seven years ago, and trying to delve into better detail than before... aw [BLEEP], forget my griping and let's just get on with it. The 1950's All-Decade Team: At this point, do I need to re-hash the basics? The good news is there won't be any competing leagues to complicate the whole scenario. Team Roster- The Cliff's Notes Version: Head Coach: Jim Lee Howell- 1958Offensive Coordinator: Vince Lombardi- 1958(Offensive Backfield) Defensive Coordinator: Tom Landry- 1958 Key Assistant: Ed Kolman- 1958(Offensive Line) Key Assistant: Ken Kavanaugh- 1958(Ends) Offensive Style: Hybrid(Pro/T Formation) Defensive Style: 4-3 Starting Quarterback: Johnny Unitas- 1959(Four Year Exception) Starting Left Halfback: Frank Gifford- 1956 Starting Fullback: Jim Brown- 1959(Three Year Exception) Starting Right Halfback: Lenny Moore- 1958(Four Year Exception) Starting Left End: Raymond Berry- 1959 Starting Left Tackle: Roosevelt "Rosey" Brown- 1959 Starting Left Guard: Duane Putnam- 1957 Starting Center: Chuck Bednarik- 1953(Also Left Linebacker) Starting Right Guard: Stan Jones- 1956 Starting Right Tackle: Bob St. Clair- 1958 Starting Right End: Pete Pihos- 1953 Starting Left Defensive End: Gino Marchetti- 1959 Starting Left Defensive Tackle: Art Donovan- 1958 Starting Right Defensive Tackle: Gene "Big Daddy" Lipscomb- 1959 Starting Right Defensive End: Andy Robustelli- 1958 Starting Middle Linebacker: Robert "Sam" Huff- 1959(Four Year Exemption) Starting Right Linebacker: Joe Schmidt- 1957(Off-Position) Starting Left Defensive Halfback: Richard "Night Train" Lane- 1959 Starting Left Safety: Emlen Tunnell- 1956 Starting Right Safety: Jack Christiansen- 1953(Slightly Off-Position) Starting Right Defensive Halfback: Jim David- 1954(Off-Position) Backup Quarterback: Tobin Rote- 1957 Backup Halfback: Ollie Matson- 1956Backup Fullback: John Henry Johnson- 1957 Backup Halfback: Lynn Chandnois- 1952 Backup End: Billy Wilson- 1954 Backup End: Jim Mutscheller- 1958 Backup Tackle: Lou Groza- 1953 Backup Center: Ray Wietecha- 1959 Backup Defensive End: Ernie Stautner- 1958 Backup Defensive Tackle: Leo Nomellini- 1954 Backup Linebacker: Chuck Drazenovich- 1955 Backup Linebacker: Harland Svare- 1959 Backup Defensive Back: Jack Butler- 1957 Backup Defensive Back: Yale Lary- 1959 Backup Defensive Back: Don Paul- 1955 The Rules: ...honestly, there's precious little that truly impacts the game. Apart from Free Substitution being legalized once and for all in 1950, the alteration of rules simply did not force any particular change in how the game was played. All the innovations came within established systems, mere progressions that could have conceivably been found in prior decades. Here's a fun tidbit though; in 1957 a rule was introduced requiring dark colored jerseys at home and white jerseys when visiting. Previously, teams only really had to wear one uniform through the season, though some wore a couple. There were plenty of games, especially really early on in the 20's, when competing teams wore jerseys so similar that it was bound to cause confusion. If teams had alternates of a contrasting color to their primaries, it was probably a forethought so they could tell their own players apart from the opponents. Sometimes, it was the opposite(one time in the early 50's, the Green Bay Packers unveiled yellow jerseys for a game with the Los Angeles Rams... who at the time ALSO wore yellow jerseys. The ruse failed, as did the Packers for much of the decade). All in all though, this change came about because of Television; the invention started out in Black and White and would take quite some time before they could interpret color, much like photography. And during this time, when Pro Football made it onto television, more than once a hapless viewer would struggle to determine which team was which during the action. As to why it was colored jerseys at home and not white, I speculate it came down to Pro Football teams almost always wearing colored jerseys in the prior decades- much like Baseball teams in the 1800's more often than not wearing white uniforms, which in turn led to white being the default home color in MLB. For the NBA and NHL, I have no speculation to offer. Soccer teams don't really follow a white/colored format; the teams have a primary 'kit' of whatever they wish, one or more alternate kits in case the opposing team is too similar or its a special occasion, and the Goalkeepers wear something else entirely(since they were the lone players allowed to handle the ball, this set them apart from the rest). The Coaches and Strategies: Paul Brown. Vince Lombardi. Tom Landry. If there are any amongst you who knows the slightest bit about NFL History, then you know those three names. You already met Brown in the 40's for the AAFC Team, so you know enough about him. You probably know Lombardi for his dynasty with the Green Bay Packers in the 1960's, and Landry for his immaculate work for three decades with the Dallas Cowboys. But these two got their start as key coordinators for the New York Giants in the 1950's. Lombardi ran the offense. Landry ran the defense(Landry actually spent 54 and 55 as a de facto assistant while playing in the Giants secondary, paradoxially qualifying him as both a player and as an assistant coach). And they oversaw the Giants going to three NFL Championships in four years at their peak. Landry had the greater accolades of the two during the 1950's. He cut his teeth playing in the secondary for the Giants during the final years of Steve Owen, who had created the Umbrella defense. Basically it was a 6-2-2-1 that emphasized pass defense, and had the ends drop into shallow coverage rather than rush the passer. Eventually it turned into a 6-1-4 by the time Landry became the defensive coordinator. Eventually, it would turn into the 4-3 Defense which would become THE Staple of the Pro Football world and is still used to this day. However, by itself the 4-3 is just an average shell that can be exploited. Landry's greatest skill was in his immaculate gameplanning and constant instruction and development. His defenders had genuine responsibilities as opposed to being merely ball-pursuers, and they would be drilled on them constantly. They had formations to counter the inside game or the outside game and they even introduced what became known as the "Red Dog", which basically involved an all-out blitz by all three linebackers. It was designed initially to counter pass-heavy teams by disrupting the time they had to get those plays off. Even the seeds for Gap Responsibility and the Flex Defense(both of which Landry would use to great effect in Dallas) could be seen by observing this Giants defense. We'll get into those concepts next decade. Lombardi was Landry's equal when it came to aggressively and tirelessly learning and improving his knowledge of football, but one could be forgiven for thinking otherwise just based on the fact that the Giants were never an offensive juggernaut stats-wise(and admittedly greatly enhanced by the no-frills style Green Bay played with in the sixties). I'm pretty sure the casual would think of Lombardi as a pure Slave-Driver with not an innovative bone to speak of. It was certainly true that Lombardi favored a heavy-running game- he came from an era that was all about running, especially at his alma mater of Fordham- but he did much more than preach about the virtues of power running. He arrived at a time where the running game was inexplicably drying out; defenses and larger linemen were making the standard ground-gaining difficult and making teams start to rely on the long passing game as well as misdirectional running. Bockers were being taught to just nudge aside the faked-out defenders. Everything else was the "three yards and a cloud of dust" quagmire. So Lombardi emphasized double-team blocking at the point of attack for his power running, then split his linemen a foot or so wider than normal to give them better angles to isolate the defenders in front of them. In addition, Lombardi started a concept known as Rule Blocking, which gave each lineman an assignment not to block a specific defender, but to block a specific area. This would be an ancestor of Zone Blocking. Like Landry, the seeds for greater innovations(Option Blocking/Running) would come in the next decade. So yeah, with that in mind it's plainly obvious these three are the key cogs in our coaching ranks, right? Well, here's this big Metal Bat called Reality in my hands and I'm about to mug you in a dark, dank alleyway for your loose change with it, so hold still... The key problem comes down to control. In short, Paul Brown ran his teams with an iron fist. Offense, Defense, everything. He was in control of it. His assistants only taught the positions. Lombardi and Landry both ran their units with iron fists, much like how they would run their respective teams when they became head coaches. On that note, it's easy to forget the actual Head Coach of the Giants around this time; a former end named Jimmy Lee Howell, whose primary contribution seemed to be keeping the opposing units from killing each other in the locker room. In short, I can't see Lombardi or Landry openly conceding control to Paul Brown... nor can I see Brown conceding control to these two assistants. So, you can either take the Head Coach in Paul Brown, or you can take the Lombardi/Landry tandem and find a different Head Coach. You would undoubtedly think I should go with Brown, after all the stuff I said about him for the AAFC Team. You can't sweat six straight NFL Championship appearances, or three titles. No other Head Coach of this time was more prolific in terms of winning. But here's the ugly kicker; ultimately, Landry and Lombardi were further along in the evolution of the game than Brown, who would ultimately never win another championship after 1955. Landry is the obvious superior choice when it comes to defense. Lombardi I cannot make the same claim for on offense. I can only point out that his talent evaluation and teaching skill was equal to Landry and the entire scope of his career implies his ability to adapt; He ran the T with New York, switched to a Pro-Style offense with Green Bay, and in his final year with Washington he worked with a pass heavy offense and even refined that to be better, so he was at some level equivalent to the likes of Don Shula, who set the gold standard for adaptability. That just leaves the question of Head Coach. The most successful coaches of the decade outside of Paul Brown were Wilbur "Weeb" Ewbank of the Baltimore Colts and Raymond "Buddy" Parker of the Detroit Lions. If we're being honest, Ewbank is the top choice, simply by virtue of the offense he ran with Johnny Unitas at Quarterback. The Colts closed out the decade as the premier offensive unit at a level of efficiency that even the Browns couldn't match, and on top of things ran the Pro-Set, or at least a hybrid version that had the Right Halfback alternate between the Halfback and Flanker roles. The main problems with Ewbank are a few player conflicts(he was strangely against fullback Alan Ameche), he was supposedly languid after making it to the top, and actually had a son-in-law as part of the defensive staff(that's not really nepotism. Charley Winner was a capable coach for the defensive backfield and would hang around into the reign of Don Shula... but the complication is that Tom Landry HAD no help on defense when it came to coaches) Parker purely ran the T but was no slouch, teaming with quarterback Bobby Layne to design the two-minute offense. In addition, he also had a genuine defensive coordinator in Gerrard "Buster" Ramsey, who was around for all of the Lions' titles in the 50's and had elite players on his side of the ball, so we have a pretty good inkling he could work with Landry. But he quit on teams twice in his career, once in '57 with the Lions(one of the title years, if you can believe that), and then in '65 with the Pittsburgh Steelers. And perhaps like Ewbank, he ran his offense, which admittedly isn't that much of a problem compared to Lombardi but is still worth mentioning. The others are Joe Stydahar and George Wilson. Joe didn't qualify as a coach, having been unceremoniously dumped by the Rams even after he helped improve the offense Clark Shaugnessy created for them. Wilson spent the majority of the decade as the Ends coach before Parker quit on the Lions in '57. He would go on to have rather average performances with the Lions and then with the expansion Miami Dolphins. Head Coach: Jim Lee Howell- 1958 Offensive Style: Hybrid(Pro/T Formation) Defensive Style: 4-3 Offensive Coordinator: Vince Lombardi- 1958(Offensive Backfield) Defensive Coordinator: Tom Landry- 1958 Key Asisstant: Ed Kolman- 1958(Offensive Line) Key Assistant: Ken Kavanaugh- 1958(Ends) Howell was not mentioned in that prior list. He was the Head Coach of the Giants during the Lombardi/Landry years. He often joked that his primary responsibility was making sure the footballs were pumped up and curfew was kept. But honestly, that's doing him a disservice. He was the guy who got between the offensive and defensive units and kept feathers unruffled. He did not cage his assistants in the same way Paul Brown did. He was easygoing, something that would be murder for most Head Coaches, but comes to positive relief when compared to the controlling natures of Lombardi and Landry. In short, we're staking everything on these two assistants being the driving forces to victory with the talent on hand, and so Howell's the anchor that permits these two to get to work. There are some issues; I'm relying on Lombardi's prospective adaptability to shift towards a Pro-Style formation(If I absolutely HAD to, I could replace Howell and Lombardi with Ewbank, then try to work around other various issues such as Charley Winner), and while both guys were at the forefront of development, they could be out strategized and had great difficulty adapting if things went wrong. But to be frank, I don't know of anyone during this time who was renowned as a master adapter to the game. Kolman and Kavanaugh were long-time assistants for the Giants. You remember Kavanaugh form the 40's when he was with the Bears. Kolman was basically Lombardi's right-hand man when it came to designing the power running game the Giants utilized. Again, Landry didn't have help on defense when it came to assistants. It probably helped that he wasn't Head Coach(he certainly used a staff in Dallas). The Hybrid style of offense requires a little bit of explanation. The only real shift between a standard T-Formation and the Pro-Set(a formation we discussed briefly in the 1940's with the NFL) comes in the position of the Right-Half. In the T, the Right-Half is positioned in the backfield, but even then tended to be the big gain player of the backfield, sometimes to the point of being used a negligent amount in the running game. In the Pro-Set, he's lined out as a Flanker and is just a pure receiver. Lombardi used a basic T during New York(and if I'm honest, tried to do the same thing briefly with Green Bay in '59 but circumstances forced him to adopt the Pro-Set), but again, I'm staking a lot on his prospective adaptability, especially when taking into account the player I'll have at Right-Half. The Offensive Lineup: Same function as the 40's. Secondary Positions will be sporadic. If a player plays on one side of the ball, he will not automatically be an (emergency) player on the opposite. Only if he HAS played on the opposite side. Starting Quarterback: Johnny Unitas- 1959(Four Year Exception) -6'1 194. Baltimore Colts: 1956-72/ San Diego Chargers: 1973http://www.sportyghost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Johnny-Unitas.jpg In a manner of speaking, this choice should be indefensible. The idea is to only take 'Exceptions'(players who did not qualify with five years in the decade) when they have talents that the others do not. And in a player pool that has the likes of Otto Graham and Bobby Layne, there should be no reason to resort to Unitas. Even if we take into account the fact that Otto Graham is bound to Paul Brown(Brown called the plays, remember), that still leaves Layne. Unitas is an exception, not because he was too young or because of the Korean War, but rather because of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who drafted him in 1955 and cut him before he ever threw a pass. Head Coach Walt Kiesling(remember him?) claimed he wasn't smart enough to be an NFL QB. This was the same guy who brought back the Single Wing, exercised a complete lack of innovation, and seemed more interested in Horse Races during the years he spent as a Head Coach(including the rancid Card-Pitts of 1944). Small wonder the Steelers were mostly garbage before Chuck Noll arrived. Anyway, Johnny spent 1955 working in construction and playing Semi-Pro ball before being invited to Baltimore's training camp in 1956. But for all of Layne's heroics and intangibles, Unitas was far superior with his arm and in his ability to read and dissect the defense. This wasn't a mechanical process, it was instinctual, and it was greatly enhanced by the fact that he called his own plays on the field. He's an extra reason as to why Paul Brown was rejected for the Head Coach spot(I do believe Weeb Ewbank tried at least once to call plays, Unitas rebuked him, scored on the next play, and told him to never try that [BLEEP] again. Imagine him clashing with Brown). As to whether he could've worked with Vince Lombardi, there was a story I found back in 2012- the last time I had tried making these teams- that was about the 1964 Pro Bowl and the gameplanning that went on. Lombardi was the coach, Units was on the team, and Unitas interrupted Vince's teaching process and made a few noteworthy suggestions to the play being developed on the board. One would've expected Vince to react badly to such impertenence. Instead he smiled, admitted the idea was a good one, and that was that. Unitas could get along well with Vince the Teacher, and he had all the qualities that Bart Starr would come to embody in the 1960's, which makes him a slam dunk selection, even if the idiot Steelers cut him and kept him from officially qualifying. Starting Left Halfback: Frank Gifford- 1956 Secondary Positions: Defensive Halfback(Emergency), Placekicker(Emergency), Kick Returner(Alternate), Punt Returner(Alternate) -6'1 197. New York Giants: 1952-60, 1962-64https://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/images/Frank-Gifford-Leifer-4.jpg Regardless of what Lombardi ran in New York and in Green Bay, the role of the Left Halfback was essentially the same. The runner ought to be tough, mobile to a certain extent, and multi-dimensional. He had to run outside and inside and block both ways and catch passes. That's a gross simplification, but you get the gist, yes? Under Lombardi, the Left Halfback was the so-called focal point of the offense... or at least the one in the spotlight. Frank Gifford filled that role under Lombardi, and he was every bit as good as advertised. He was not that fast(Ollie Matson was superior there), but he ran with a controlled discipline and followed his blockers. He was also a highly capable pass catcher(when he came back to the NFL in 1962, the Giants shuffled him over to Flanker and kept him in the passing game) and willing blocker. He also had the added bonus of being an able passer in what would become known as the Halfback Option, a tricky play which could catch defenses by surprise simply because of the mechanical efficiency which Lombardi teams would run the ball on defenses. He lost a year of his career for a rather gruesome moment in 1960. The Giants were playing a tight game against the Philadelphia Eagles and Gifford had just caught a pass and was turning upfield, only to be hammered by linebacker Chuck Bednarik(you'll hear about him later). It lead to the Giants losing the game, but Gifford was out for the season with a head injury bad enough to make him retire in 1961(he claimed it was because he got a job on television). Still, he came back. That's gotta be worth something. Starting Fullback: Jim Brown- 1959(Three Year Exception) -6'2 232. Cleveland Browns: 1957-65http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2031310.1417588613!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_750/72825119th479-focusonsport.jpg So. This guy requires a major explanation. The last time I tried this, when I got to the 60's(I had not used Brown in the 50's because he only played three years, going with Alan Ameche of Baltimore), I had opted for a complete Green Bay Backfield and left Jim Brown out of the roster entirely. Sounds crazy at first glance, but I understood Brown then as a pure runner who really didn't do all that much else. He wasn't known for his blocking, he wasn't exactly a feared receiving threat, and apparently he didn't sting as hard when running the ball against defenders. That and I'm a total Packer homer, so, y'know, my biases were aligned in that direction. I got rebuked rather badly over that one, but let's be honest; a stiff breeze could blow my constitutions over if it ever came down to it. But I did dig deeper into the matter. There was one little tidbit that I found online then and I can't find now. It was about the actor who played Lombardi in that broadway musical, Dan Lauria, and in an interview he relayed something Jim Brown had said to him in regards to playing with Lombardi; "I would have loved Vince, and Vince would have loved me. I practiced the way I played." Granted, that's with so many decades of hindsight as reinforcement, but even then I took that as something of actual worth. These days, I don't think his lack of blocking was not out of lack of desire... but a play in which Jim Brown is blocking is a tad wasted. Not that Lombardi would come to the same conclusion, but if Jim wasn't lying, then it stands to reason Vince could work with him and get Jim to do a fair bit more than he was needed to in Cleveland. As for the 50's, Brown in just three short years was far more impressive a runner than any of the other line-plungers. Ameche was a mere mortal compared to Brown. Even the Jet himself, Joe Perry, wasn't on Jim's level. That's probably worth an Exception, though exceptions for running backs of any kind are a bit... extragavant. Starting Right Halfback: Lenny Moore- 1958(Four Year Exception) -6'1 191. Baltimore Colts: 1956-67http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LKMI_u9sBhc/TvnUSPy87VI/AAAAAAAAD2s/NpZwEVvj9F0/s1600/Moore_Lenny10_Colts.jpg Why did I even bother with the five-year guideline if I can't hold myself to it? No matter. As far as Right Halfbacks and Flankers go, there were plenty who could do one or the other. You had guys like Hugh McElhenny would excelled on the Standard T but didn't quite rack up the numbers as a receiver. Then you had guys like Ray Renfro, who were listed as halfbacks but only ever caught passes. Moore's really the only one on the list who excelled at both to the degree that he makes the 'Hybrid' concept of this offense work. Whether you lined him up in the backfield(where he would give far greater flexibility than Alex Webster did for New York) or out wide(where he was legitly dangerous in the open field), Moore had to be watched and shadowed. He turned into one of Johnny U's two greatest receiving threats and where players like him would normally be shuffled permanently into a receiver role late in his career, he was shuffled into a pure halfback during the mid-sixties. It's worth discussing race here. There's no getting around it. This was a decade where teams would actively have quotas in regards to black players(about six, supposedly). Some have distinct quota issues in certain positions(Cleveland, I read once, had an issue for a while where one cornerback position had to be manned by white players in contrast to black players on the other cornerback position). Positions like Quarterback and even Middle Linebacker were strictly off-limits to black players. On a team like Baltimore, camradery was easy to find on the gridiron, but not off of it. Moore was one of several major stars in the NFL affected by this. I would like to say having Lombardi on hand would ease whatever racial tensions that arise on this squad, but that's being a bit wishful in my thinking. He's not the head coach; he could really only work with his guys on offense. And, to be honest, his work with the racial situation during the 1960's might be overblown or simply given hyperbolic status because anyone making noise about civil rights sticks out like a sore thumb in that day and age. Still... it's very likely we'll have more than six black players in this squad so every bit helps, yes? Starting Left End: Raymond Berry- 1959 -6'2 187. Baltimore Colts: 1955-67https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/raymond-berry-of-the-baltimore-colts-catches-a-pass-against-the-new-picture-id98837527?s=612x612 Remember the 1930's team? I briefly discussed a connection between the quarterback and his favorite receiver. This is the first truly genuine connection that matters. Berry wasn't really an athletic player. He had a back condition that created a misalignment and made one leg shorter than the other at times(the myth was the shorter leg was a permanent affliction which required special shoes. He just wore a back brace). He was skinny and not all that fast. His eyesight was poor, requiring the use of contact lenses(there were times when he wore genuine glasses while out on the football field). But he killed himself in preparation and turned himself into an elite route runner with strong, sure hands(he rarely dropped passes and only had one single fumble in his career) and became a quality blocker, which is a staple for any Lombardi offense. But what made him the favorite target of Unitas was that the two would painstakingly develop and refine their timing and knowledge of one another after team practices would end. There is one specific event that illustrates this better than any other. December 28, 1958. New York City. Yankee Stadium. The Baltimore Colts take on the New York Giants for the Championship. This game would come to be known as "The Greatest Game Ever Played." It would also be the first title game to be decided in Sudden-Death overtime, where the first team to score would win. 1:15 left in the game. New York leads 17-14, but the Colts have the ball. They have to score here, period. A touchdown wins the game, a field goal ties it up. The Colts have their own version of the Two-Minute Drill, but the performance is slightly spotty. The Colts face second and ten at their own 25 yard line, trying to gain yardage against a Giants defense that works rather well against the pass. The Giants come out in what seems to be an early ancestor of the Prevent Defense, which basically sacrificed a linebacker for a fifth defensive back(the Nickel), and had the fascinating wrinkle of pulling star defensive end Andy Robustelli back into coverage and rushing only three linemen. Typically that day, Berry would be covered by a defensive back named Carl Karilivacz, an otherwise capable player who had survived some years in Detroit's secondary. Berry gained a number of receptions and a touch down but under these circumstances, that wasn't something to degrade the guy over. However, this play would show something drastically different. Lined up directly across from him was a linebacker, Harland Svare. Svare is somewhat underrated as a linebacker, a guy who knew the details of the defense and the roles of his teammates. A lunch pail guy who was rather competent in coverage, which is great for his position back then, Svare was often placed in the right location to make plays by Landry. His role is to bump and jostle Berry at the line, to throw off his rhythm, then pass him off to Karilivacz who was behind him. This was not a gimmick Landry even occasionally pulled out of his bag of tricks; the Giants never used this sort of play on the field in a game. Rewind two years. 1956 Training Camp. Berry and Johnny Unitas were having their personal after-dinner film sessions(the two were constant after-practice partners even then), and somehow, the exact same circumstance was found on film. Unitas and Berry, discussing the matter, agreed that the thing to do in such an event would be to have Berry run a slant away from the linebacker and beneath the safety. Back to the Play. Berry sees Svare staring him down. He and Unitas lock eyes. Neither of them knows for sure if the other one remembers that film session from two years ago. The ball is snapped, Unitas drops back. Berry takes two steps outside then cuts inside for a slant. Unitas finds him in stride. Svare, who bit on the fake outside, doesn't have the speed to outrun Berry. Sam Huff, cutting into the area to cover halfback L.G. Dupree, is passed by like a matador. The field is so open that Berry's first real contact is Robustelli who came charging in from the other side of the field. Berry not only shrugs Robustelli off but also slips past safety Jimmy Patton in the process, giving him a crucial five to ten extra yards before the remainder of the Giants defense swarms on him. The ball is placed around the fifty. Two more receptions by Berry would lead to the game-tying field goal. Including overtime, Berry would catch twelve passes in this game. Yeah, that connection beats every other candidate for this position. Starting Left Tackle: Roosevelt "Rosey" Brown- 1959 Secondary Positions: Defensive Tackle(Sub-Package) -6'3 255. New York Giants: 1953-65http://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/1008/nfl.best.players.by.jersey.number.50-99/images/79-rosey-brown.jpg It's not too often when you find a lineman who has something his contemporaries do not. For these past few decades, the active differences involve skills outside of their line-play. Guys who could kick and/or punt, basically. Maybe every now and then you find a player flexible enough to play multiple positions on the line. Heck, sometimes the position a player played on defense(largely relevant only for the guards in this case) made a difference. But if you take away those specialist positions, you start to find that your top guys are so similar that you could make do with whomever and not really miss a beat. Rosey Brown is unique in that he was easily the most mobile tackle of his time. In fact, he was so mobile that Lombardi utilized him in a fascinating manner. If you know of Lombardi, then you know of the Power Sweep. Or rather, the Packer Sweep since you probably saw it executed with the Packers. But the Giants had a sweep of their own too. It just wasn't as refined as the Green Bay version, but it had an intriguing wrinkle; Rosey Brown frequently outran the sweeping guards on the play, until Vince decided to make Rosey the primary sweeper. That's more than enough, but Rosey's strength was not a step or two behind his closest peers at his position. His regular blocking was superb and he was strong enough that he sometimes was used on defense in Goal Line situations. Starting Left Guard: Duane Putnam- 1957 -6'0 228. Los Angeles Rams: 1952-59/Dallas Cowboys: 1960/ Cleveland Browns: 1961/ Los Angeles Rams: 1962https://i.pinimg.com/236x/c7/7f/d6/c77fd6a89b898b2d1031086e24aeba6d--fame-football.jpg We're at a bit of a transition period for guards. Freshly removed from the Two-Way era, they have yet to achieve major merit in the offensive game and no longer have their performances on defense to boost their reputation. Putnam could be considered the best Guard of his time, but he's a name largely lost to history(unless you're the PFRA, who voted him into the Hall of Very Good in 2016). Duane hits the checklist despite being considered 'small' for his time(guards were getting larger now, 240-250 pounds becoming the norm for this decade and the next) by virtue of not only his exceptional speed(I doubt he's on the level of Rosey Brown) but his strength training regimen, which packed on about thirty pounds of muscle. Apparently he was called the Putter, not for golf, but because he was a shot put champion in high school. Starting Center: Chuck Bednarik- 1953 Secondary Positions: Left Linebacker(Starter), Punter(Emergency), Kick Off(Emergency) -6'3 233. Philadelphia Eagles: 1949-62http://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/images/3-chuck-bednarik-1960-fs.jpg When I was five or six, my first knowledge of this guy was hearing how he single-handedly beat the Packers in the 1960 Championship. So I hated the guy. Deeply petty, but what do you expect out of a six year old? At any rate, that feeling more or less mellowed over the years, but it really wasn't until I started trying these All-Time teams seriously that I started to understand and appreciate what Concrete Charlie(the Nickname's not what you think; he was a concrete salesman in the off-season) brought to the table. There are probably one or two centers who might be better than him at the position. I can't think of anyone truly better at Linebacker... but we've got him at two positions because frankly Chuck would have wanted it that way. The very last of the sixty-minute men, Chuck spent the first eight years of his career playing two-way football at a time when such a thing was rapidly fading away. The thing is, after 1957 he too gave up on playing two ways and stuck to center. Then in 1960, injuries forced him back into linebacker and he gutted out tough performances. 1960 was without a doubt the culmination of the man's career, primarily for two plays. One being the collision that knocked out Frank Gifford(the picture is from that moment), and the other being the game-saving tackle in the Championship. Bednarik the player probably has been darkened in the past few decades by Bednarik the curmudgeon. He went out basically resenting today's game and sneering at supposed players who went both ways at times and almost everyone else who goes one way and gets gassed just doing that. '53 Bednarik probably isn't as adept at reading offenses as someone like '57 Bednarik, but he's more mobile and dabbled with punts and kickoffs, providing for some level of versatility and making him a potentially dynamic defender in the 4-3. And here's a a photo to give you nightmares;https://usatthebiglead.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/screen-shot-2013-07-07-at-5-35-00-pm.png Starting Right Guard: Stan Jones- 1956 Secondary Positions: Offensive Tackle(Emergency) -6'1 252. Chicago Bears: 1954-65/ Washington Redskins: 1966https://i.pinimg.com/736x/78/98/1b/78981bc74b6408b2f74e39daa1d9638a--bears-football-football-players.jpg The choice came down to Jones and Richard Stanfel, who was part of the Lions '53 Championship team and was voted team MVP. Stanfel racks up more 'points' in All-Pro selections than Jones did, and more often than not is ranked higher than Jones in various lists of All-Time guards. If I had to speculate, I would say Stanfel is the more mobile(Jones by 1962 could only out-run George Halas on a sweep) but Jones is more powerful. He was a very early proponent of weightlifting for strength training, even though experts believed it would make players so muscle-bound that they would lose all flexibility. In fact, Duane Putnam was someone who followed Jones' example, and that honestly goes a big way towards his selection over Stanfel here. While he really slowed down at the twilight of his career(which got extended in the early 60's by being moved to defense), early on he was capable and respected when it came to running sweeps, so there's no big liability there. He also spent some time at Right Tackle, though his height and reach aren't really built for it, so he can be an emergency option there. Starting Right Tackle: Bob St. Clair- 1958 Secondary Positions: Defensive Tackle(FG/XP) -6'9 263. San Francisco 49ers: 1953-63http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/football-san-francisco-49ers-qb-john-brodie-in-action-making-pass-picture-id470714104?s=612x612 Bob's primary competition for this spot was Mike McCormack, who played for the Cleveland Browns and while he got a ring with them in '54, it was as a Middle Guard on defense after Bill Willis retired. Still, McCormack was incredibly proficient and disciplined, hailed by Paul Brown as the finest lineman he ever coached. If that sounds familiar, you've heard of how Vince Lombardi called Forrest Gregg "The Finest Player I Have Ever Coached". Shoot, one could see Lombardi preferring McCormack to St. Clair just for that comparison alone. The problem comes down to available space. There's a very good chance we'll only be able to select one tackle for the bench(we'll have fifteen bench players split between offense and defense), and it looks like it's going to be Lou Groza simply for his kicking. Bob beats out Mike when there is only one spot left for a few reasons. To begin with, he may not be the most proficient of the two, but Bob was probably the most explosive in terms of blocking. His size also helps him when it comes to playing on special teams, where he was regarded as the "Kick Blocker" of the Hall of Fame's 1950's teams. While I can't say leaving Bob out would be punishing for such a unit(guys like Sam Huff and Andy Robustelli had some renown in that department), I'm rather intrigued by the extra skill he brings to the table. Plus, St. Clair just was a plain ol' character. He survived several incidents that would've claimed another man's life(rode out a tornado in Oklahoma, nearly drowned in a mudhole while duck hunting, rode downhill in a Soap Box Derby car for kids at fifty mph and crashed), had several other misadventures(imagine going to Las Vegas with your eloping girlfriend at 17, becoming broke, then winning a jackpot on your fast fifty cents!), and ate raw meat. Starting Right End: Pete Pihos- 1953 Secondary Positions: Defensive End(Emergency) -6'1 210. Philadelphia Eagles: 1947-55https://i.pinimg.com/236x/f9/b1/ab/f9b1abd94feb1cda6ae1d96e7e47009a.jpg Pihos beats out plenty of players who could be considered superior in the art of catching the ball and running by defenders for a very basic reason; the Lombardi offense prefers that their ends be adept or better in terms of blocking. This is a decade where things aren't really set in stone. The Pro-Set wouldn't be truly vogue until the 1960's, so it barged into a field dominated by all kinds of T-Formation variants. Some still kept both ends tight on the line. Some only split out one end. Some split out both. And even the formations with 'tight' ends wouldn't necessarily rely on them for blocking, nor would said ends ever be lionized for their blocking. So in a shadowy field, Pihos stands out. It also helps that Pete was so robust that in '52 the Eagles put him on defense for the season, making him emergency insurance on the defensive line. The Defensive Lineup: You'll notice when you scroll down that there are ten positions listed and not eleven. Chuck Bednarik doubles as our Starting Left Linebacker(nobody would dare contest this with Chuck in his prime), so that position won't be listed. Starting Left Defensive End: Gino Marchetti- 1959 -6'4 244. Dallas Texans: 1952/ Baltimore Colts: 1953-64, 1966https://i.pinimg.com/originals/be/ea/48/beea488f0e544562358812cf016f3331.jpg If there's one positive to the utter lack of defensive statistics of this time(well, apart from Interceptions), it's that linemen and linebackers can't use those stats to pad their resumes and look better in the eyes of the public. I'll put it this way; a defensive end could rack up double digits in sacks for a season and still be thought of as an all-pro even if his ability to defend the run was mediocre. You had to look long and hard to see the other details of the game obscured by such numbers. But in that day and age, if you were an all-pro on the defensive line, you sure as heck were the full package and you were lauded for your ability to stop the run as well as rush the passer. In that respect, Gino was hands down the best player at his position for this decade. Gino had a slightly late start(he partook in the Battle of the Bulge and got into the NFL at age 25), and a hapless beginning, first toiling for the sad sack Dallas Texans and then being switched over to offensive tackle when he got to Baltimore. Thankfully, Weeb Ewbank changed his mind the next season and put Gino back on defense, where he lead a strong unit that would quickly become elite. Gino had a lot to do with it, as he was the premier rusher of the squad. There were a few reasons for his success from a technical perspective. The year spent at Left Tackle helped as it gave him insight to what offensive linemen did to block. He lined up somewhat unusually, with a slight angle and crowding the line- he said this allowed him to see multiple people- the tackle, the closest guard, and the back on that side of the backfield. But by far, his best tool was how he shed blockers. Back then, the guys on the defensive line were largely bull rushers. Gino by contrast was a grabber and a thrower. He would get his hands on the outside of the blocker's shoulder pads and he would throw that man in the direction he was leaning towards. That technical skill combined with his explosive first step and ferocious attitude made him nigh unstoppable. Hall of Fame contemporaries such as Bob St. Clair, Jim Ringo, and Forrest Gregg all claimed he was the best they ever engaged in the 'Pit'. As for Heart, there was no weakness there. In the 1958 Championship Game, Gino made a key stop that forced the Giants to punt deep in the fourth quarter, paving the way for the Colts' game-tying drive. Only Gino broke his leg during that stop, but he insisted on remaining on the sideline for the rest of the game. People thought that would end his career, only he came back and continued to play at a high level. http://static.nfl.com/static/content/photo/2008/12/18/09000d5d80d6dd09.jpeg Starting Left Defensive Tackle: Art Donovan- 1958 -6'2 263. Baltimore Colts: 1950/ New York Yanks: 1951/ Dallas Texans: 1952/ Baltimore Colts: 1953-61https://irrationalmonkeys.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/art-donovan.jpg Much like Gino, Donovan had a late start thanks to World War II(he was at Iwo Jima, 'nuff said), only he bounced around a couple of hapless teams before rebounding with the Colts in '53. Despite his weight(that 262 is a conservative estimate), he proved to be the complete package; adept at rushing the passer, and equally great at closing the gaps and reading keys. The fact that he's lined up right next to Gino makes the left side of this line extremely difficult to contain. Still, the guy called "Fatso" had a real disdain for physical training and one has to wonder how well he'd mesh with Tom Landry. He became much more well known during his post-playing days when he turned out to be an entertaining storyteller. He was just a fun character to be around. He had lots of stories. One was recounted by him during an NFL Films flick called "Follies, Crunches, Highlights & Histories" involving a chicken-eating contest between Gino Marchetti and teammate Don Joyce. The highlights involve the contestants being served a full meal along with the chicken and Joyce having to be told not to eat the other stuff, Joyce actually chowing down 36 individual pieces of chicken, and then dropping some pieces of saccharine into his iced tea afterwards- to watch his calories. Since I has a kid up until the adult age when I started looking into this stuff, that scene was really my only experience with the guy. Just stuff to get off my chest, I suppose. Starting Right Defensive Tackle: Gene "Big Daddy" Lipscomb- 1959 -6'6 284. Los Angeles Rams: 1953-55/ Baltimore Colts: 1956-60/ Pittsburgh Steelers: 1961-62https://d279m997dpfwgl.cloudfront.net/wp/2018/01/AP_170392055824.jpg So, this is kind of a controversial decision. Not in regard to Gene's talents. The guy was incredibly strong and fast for his size(they say he weighed closer to 320 but he was never considered "fat", just muscled up), who became next to impossible to contain once he learned the proper techniques. He could toss aside blockers and ball carriers like rag dolls and was so darn fast pursuing ball carriers on the sweep that he almost got moved to linebacker. The controversy has to do with his off-field behavior. See, Big Daddy came from a terribly troubled childhood- his mother had been murdered when he was 11, and his grandfather was turbulent and all too eager to reach for the belt strap- and had missed out on College entirely. Enrolling in the Marines brought him to adulthood, but Lipscomb would always have an off-field lifestyle that was one part Dr. Jekyll and two parts Mr. Hyde. On the one side he was a gentle giant that became well-known for his generosity towards others(one time buying shoes and clothes for a barefoot child that passed by him), but on the other he was a hard-drinking, womanizing tornado who went through multiple divorces and held shady company all the way until his controversial death in 1963(in short, the autopsy revealed a Heroin overdoze and the story concerning his voluntary taking of said drug was... disputable). His emotions were such that his mood could swing on a day by day basis, ranging from jovial and gregarious to saddened to the point of open crying. He was frequently stricken with paranoia and insomnia. This collection of problems was so distinct that it colored my perception and I wound up choosing someone else for this spot- a guy named Ernie Stautner. He struggled early on in the NFL, having been scouted right out of the Marines and was as raw as uncooked meat. His time with the Rams was turbulent until the team finally sent him packing. His peak occured in Baltimore only because off the field the city embraced him and on the field, he was taken under the wing of experienced linemen like Marchetti and Donovan and Joyce, who taught him every trick they knew. By the championship years of '58 and '59, Big Daddy was truly the BIG DADDY! But even then the team still traded him to Pittsburgh in '61 supposedly because his reputation off the field was becoming too much(as well as an incident where he signed with a Professional Basketball League- not the NBA). If I figure Art Donovan is going to have some slight problems with Landry, how is Big Daddy gonna be received by him? There wasn't a problem with fitness(Big Daddy spent the off-seasons as a Professional Wrestler to stay in shape), but those emotional problems and a distinct upward battle Gene had in learning how the game is played are some serious marks against him. I'm erring on the side of potentially foolish optimism here; Big Daddy is such a unique talent that Landry might go farther to make it work out, and since Gene thrived in a structured environment in Baltimore, he might come out of this okay, at least long enough for the crucial game against the aliens. Starting Right Defensive End: Andy Robustelli- 1958 -6'1 230. Los Angeles Rams: 1951-55/ New York Giants: 1956-64https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51GoWnjZdML._SY445_.jpg Robustelli, though given greater accolades than anyone else at his position, is really here for a specific reason. You could argue there were stronger and faster options(Gino Marchetti claimed that Gene Brito was faster off the ball), and more to the point, with the starting line presently made up of Colts players, someone better fitting the style they wanted from this position(Don Joyce played on the right end and was more a steady, stand-your-ground type that kept blockers occupied and played the run) would be preferable. By contrast Andy was somewhat undersized and was given more notoriety for his pass rushing skills as opposed to playing the run- though playing the disciplined Landry 4-3 took some of the edge off that problem. The kicker is Robustelli ran the New York line, including the linebackers. Here's why that's important; for all-time teams, if you're going to run a very specific defense, you want that starting lineup to have the best defenders from that specific defense as a foundation or 'spine' which keeps the unit intact. In this case, Andy gets the other players up to speed about what their main responsibilities are in the Landry 4-3(with some adjustments made by Landry to take advantage of the players he's working with), holds down his side of the line, and demonstrates his leadership skills in the clubhouse. Starting Middle Linebacker: Robert "Sam" Huff- 1959(Four Year Exemption) -6'1 230. New York Giants: 1956-63/ Washington Redskins: 1964-67, 69https://sineilleifer.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/1056.jpg?w=960 The claim is that Landry designed his 4-3 Defense around Huff. That claim comes from Huff himself so you can take it with a pinch of salt. But it is true that the 4-3 elevated Huff into a sort of glamour position within the NFL; something that was always reserved for the offense. He became the first player to be 'micced up' for a Television special called "The Violent World of Sam Huff." The defenses he played on frequently overshadowed the offenses in terms of notoriety. Huff's importance as the lone free-ranger in the Landry 4-3(by that I mean he had the go-ahead to use his judgement and go where the ball was) underscores the necessity of placing him at this spot even though he failed to qualify and there is one clear-cut superior player at his spot. His range in pass coverage was great for a linebacker and his ability to tackle ballcarriers was strong too. He wasn't great at the "scrape", or shedding blocks, mainly because he played for defenses that protected him from the blockers. This might be a problem even with elite players in front of him, because the Aliens are not supposed to be pushovers, but we can't set aside a key point of the Landry defense. Starting Right Linebacker: Joe Schmidt- 1957(Off-Position) -6'1 220. Detroit Lions: 1953-65http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/football-detroit-lions-joe-schmidt-on-field-during-game-vs-washington-picture-id153370280 This is the man who's superior to Huff at Middle Linebacker. He's also superior to virtually every outside linebacker in the pool(including Bednarik). Joe was often credited for 'creating' the 4-3 Middle Linebacker position, mainly because he was the first of the bunch to play the position excellently. In a period where MLBs were ferocious and equated to mad dogs, Joe's finesse stood out. He was a "defensive quarterback" in that he was uncanny in knowing what plays the opposition would run. He was strong enough to power through blockers and fast enough to evade them. He could drop into coverage or go sideline to sideline and always have the right angle on the ballcarriers. He just had no faults to speak of. Schmidt wasn't a MLB his first few seasons. The reason was Detroit ran a 5-2 initially, with Les Bingaman serving as the Middle Guard. It wasn't dead-on Middle, but it wasn't exactly an Outside spot either. It was more of a hybrid position. But honestly, that's fine enough. Schmidt will serve as the de facto backup to Huff's spot while still in position to dominate the game, even if it's from a more limited role on the defense. He certainly could offer better pass coverage than the New York teams had at outside linebacker. Starting Left Defensive Halfback: Richard "Night Train" Lane- 1959 Secondary Positions: Offensive End(Emergency) -6'1 194. Los Angeles Rams: 1952-53/ Chicago Cardinals: 1954-59/ Detroit Lions: 1960-65https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c_RFWXB3QF8/WPOdDAzUMdI/AAAAAAAAMlU/tWXK5Q9vA2sAiFhYOoaLzABqJBvO_v_oACLcB/s1600/2017-04-16_10-32-24.jpg Hands down the best corner of the lot, just based on his electric skills and performance. But even he comes with some problems. Night Train's another classic story of a guy who came seemingly outta nowhere to prosper in the NFL. He only spent a year at a Junior College in Nebraska, then spent four years in the US Army occasionally playing for service teams. He literally walked into the front office of the Rams and asked for a try-out on a whim. Seemingly going nowhere as an offensive end(guys like Tom Fears and Crazylegs Hirsch were already there), he got plopped into the secondary and shattered a record with 14 interceptions in his rookie season. Nobody's been able to duplicate let alone surpass that record today, and that's with four extra games on the schedule! Night Train was a gambler. Actually, there needs to be a more elaborate explanation. He was a baiter. By the time his polish had peaked, he developed a mastery of playing off of his receiver while keeping his sight angled towards the opposing quarterback. He maintained his outside leverage and waited for the pass to come to a seemingly open receiver. Then he'd jump in with his athleticism and either pick off the pass, make the receiver drop it... or clobber him with the Night Train Necktie. That's actually a clothesline. By '59 it also involved openly grabbing an opponent's facemask(it wouldn't be outlawed until '61). None of those were particular signs of Night Train being a mad man. He understood that the body goes where the head does and if you get the head, you've got the body. The facemasking and the clotheslining would eventually be outlawed thanks to Lane. But until that happens, Lane is one of the most feared tacklers in the league. The big problem again comes down to Landry. Does he actively gameplan taking Night Train's style into effect? It is a rather distinct difference from the way he typically taught his halfbacks to defend against the pass. And, more to the point, we're not guaranteed to face an opponent that is... limited, to the talents of the football players of that time. Quarterbacks with cannon arms could throw passes fast enough that they could perhaps beat Night Train's jump and force him to play tighter to the receiver than he wants to. Starting Left Safety: Emlen Tunnell- 1956 Secondary Positions: Punt Returner(Split) -6'1 187. New York Giants: 1948-58/ Green Bay Packers: 1959-61https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RXrejRgZ1BA/WNxlK5UAdeI/AAAAAAAAMS8/fhEy1_xDE4EAbFLYHG6mdnDN2weWG7iDQCLcB/s400/2017-03-29_19-52-04.jpg The true strength of the secondary lies with its excellent safeties. Amongst them is the third foundation piece for the defense in Emlen Tunnell. He doesn't exactly have a late start. While he briefly served in the Coast Guard during World War II, he did attend college at Toledo(pre-war) and Iowa(post-war). He tried out for the New York Giants in '48 and by '56 he was already a prized veteran of the team in more ways than one. On the field he was the golden standard for the Giants secondary, athletic and intelligent, able to recognize what was happening and get to the right place at the right time, and was one of the hardest hitters of his time. Off the field, he was the first black player for the Giants and paved the way for others by his ease of personality(and great play on the field), becoming a mentor and guru for other fellow black players(a tactic that would be repeated in Green Bay when Lombardi traded for him in '59). By this point, the nickname "Offense on Defense" probably doesn't count for much as it did early on in his career, though he can still rip off big gains after interceptions. As a returner however, he's a bit depleted. He's not used for Kick Returns anymore and his Punt Returning is more along the lines of "safe and steady". It happens; if you can't find an exciting returner who holds onto the ball, you find someone who doesn't fumble and makes safe decisions. He'll theoretically split time as a Punt Returner to see if he still has game there. As the established Giant veteran, Tunnell gets the responsibility of playing behind Night Train Lane. Not that Lane particularly needs the help, but the man does bait and if he gets beaten on the bait, Tunnell will have to be in the right place at the right time while also minding all of his other duties in the 4-3. This pairing is a Great-Risk, Great-Reward sort of duo. Either you shut down the entire left side, or you can exploit them in the worst possible scenario. Starting Right Safety: Jack Christiansen- 1953(Slightly Off-Position) Secondary Positions: Punt Returner(Split), Kick Returner(Alternate), Halfback(Emergency) -6'1 205. Detroit Lions: 1951-58https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SKYdRwqZHfE/XPly37R3-GI/AAAAAAAAbjM/c4zXo0IxcNkEOmn-sU5Of0aSvSok4FybACLcBGAs/s1600/2019-06-06_14-08-11.jpg The other great safety in the starting lineup. Christiansen was just about everything Tunnell was. Just as athletic, just as intelligent. In Detroit, the secondary became known as "Chris's Crew" because Christiansen led the show. Essentially, Jack "invented" what would become known as the Free Safety position, showcasing excellent range and ideal alertness and recognition. He had been such a terror returning punts during his first couple seasons that teams actually changed their punt coverage formations to reign him in by spreading out their players. The reasons he's splitting those return duties with Tunnell are two-fold; in the first place, both are vital starters on defense. And in the second, his punt return numbers took a drastic drop in '53, whether by no longer using him there or teams having figured him out and refusing to punt to him. I would still prefer to have someone on the bench take on this role, but my options there are utterly limited. Christiansen's best years were at Left Safety, which conflicts with Tunnell. This is where being slightly malleable in terms of positioning pays off, as we can play both safeties at once(Jack did play Right Safety for a time, so it's not inconceivable). That and his partnership with our last member of the secondary... Starting Right Defensive Halfback: Jim David- 1954(Off-Position) -5'11 178. Detroit Lions: 1952-59http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/831/491/David_His09_display_image_display_image.jpg?1301885424 In the field of secondary candidates, David is one of the more unsung heroes of his time. A short scrappy halfback(which with the exception of Night Train seems to have been the norm in the 50's), David's claim to fame was his hard hitting. They called him "The Hatchet", largely because of a brief stretch where he knocked out Y.A. Tittle and Tom Fears in successive games. He was the hardest hitter on "Chris's Crew"... and to be honest, it was playing in that shadow which left him to fade into relative obscurity in the ensuing decades. Usually in a great unit, the top two or three players are selected for the Hall of Fame, then the rest are left in the shadows unless they do something extensive post-playing career, like Richard LeBeau's long coaching career. David had a coaching career but never won any titles as such, nor was it long enough to get him over the hump. David played on the left side, like Christansen did, so he gets swapped over to retain that sort of partnership. The Bench: Fifteen spots to fill, split between two platoons. This won't be like the forties, where the NFL stayed a one-way league and thus could overlap between offense and defense if you selected a Platoon-Style team. Here the players are- with precious few exceptions- confined to a specific side. That means you have to place a premium on players that you know can cover multiple positions in the event of an injury or the like. Most players on the bench will likely only see the field on the Special Teams units, but few if any are going to be noteworthy for their play there. Kickers and Punters typically play other positions, so there are very few "specialists" to speak of. Backup Quarterback is the first on the list, and for ensuing decades, it will be the hardest spot to decide on. The reason has to do with Free Substitution. Beforehand, anyone playing the role of 'passer' would be forced to play defense on the opposite side, so largely all-around athletes were used at those spots. Afterwards, you could insert a pure passer without a care for what else he could do with the ball or on defense because you could just sub him out when he was no longer needed to throw balls. That sounds basic. It also affected the players typically backing up those passers. Again, before Free Substitution, you typically had two or even three players in the span of a game who assumed passing duties thanks to the uneven permission of player replacement. Afterwards, you could have just one primary passer for the entire game. The 50's are a bit unique in that teams didn't catch on entirely. Virtually every season there was at least one team that used a dual system at QB. The majority of the time it was just two 'equal' players struggling to out-do the other. Sometimes it was an old incumbent having to make way for the young upstart(a thing that still happens today). About the only time a two-QB system actually worked was the New York method during this decade. Their star QB was Charlie Conerly, an old pro who would quarterback past his 40th birthday, but the Giants would sometimes start games with backup Don Heinrich under center. The strategy was this; Heinrich would play the first quarter and probe the defense for weaknesses. That information would then be relayed to Conerly, who would take over under center and exploit them. The idea worked enough to get the Giants to three championship games in the 50's. Problem is you don't need that system with Unitas already starting, so your backup QB is likely going to ride the bench. This is a problem strictly for reasons of team chemistry and intangibles. Normal All-Time teams don't face this issue, because they're just roll calls of merit. Put such a team in a battle with actual stakes, and you'll find you need to establish a pecking order. That order isn't just about leadership on a football team, but also by positions. Starters will be ahead of backups, and if the backups were actual stars in real life, that might just brew the beginnings of resentment. You wouldn't think that would be a problem with Aliens about to destroy the world... but why risk it? Backup QB is going to be the best possible breeding ground for resentment because few QBs in these ensuing player pools will have active experience, much less actual skill, playing other positions. Almost everyone else is going to get PT, either in a formation sub-package, positional rotation, or on the suicide squads for kicks. But that QB is only seeing time if the starter is injured or is stinking up the joint. Put a Hall of Famer in that situation and he might just bristle. Perhaps he feels helpless just sitting on the bench and not contributing. Perhaps he thinks he's better than the starter(confidence tends to override production statistics here). So what about a genuine backup QB for the spot? It's a position familiar to them, so the odds of rocking the boat over PT are significantly less. The problem with this option comes down to talent; if he were good enough, he'd be a starter rather than a backup. You'd think this wouldn't be a problem in a 12 team league; the 13th best QB in the league is certainly more appealing than the 33rd from an optics perspective. Again though, this is guy not considered good enough to start, much less lead his team through clutch moments. So... Backup Quarterback: Tobin Rote- 1957 -6'3 211. Green Bay Packers: 1950-56/ Detroit Lions: 1957-69/ San Diego Chargers(AFL): 1963-64/ Denver Broncos(AFL): 1966https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/receivers-covered-cleveland-ohio-tobin-rote-of-the-green-bay-packers-picture-id514962968 There are far more established and noteworthy players. We've discussed Bobby Layne and Otto Graham. There are others like Y.A. Tittle(remember him?) and Norm Van Brocklin. Shoot, even the Giants have an old reliable in Charlie Conerly. So why Rote, a guy who for all intents and purposes is labeled as a member of the sad sacker Packers during the dark Post-Lambeau Pre-Lombardi years of the 1950's? Forgetting skills for a second, the best intangibles you can have for a Backup Quarterback are the patience and lack of ego to accept a bench role, and the mindset to come right off the bench and deliver. Rote's about the only guy on the list whose career actually puts check marks on those qualities(not that the other Stars don't have them, only that Rote was put in a situation to prove he had them, unlike the others). The first checkmark, about the lack of ego, isn't really a true check mark. It was more a case of "Given where I come from, I'll take anything." Rote spent seven years in Green Bay, during all the doldrums, and apart from maybe one or two players(Billy Howton and a end-of-the-line Tony Canadeo), he was a one-man show. An inconsistent but quality passer, Rote threw good enough to be a top ten QB(Not that good in a twelve-team league), but he was a feared rusher, a relic of the old days when the Tailback ruled all. He introduced the concept of the QB draw play to the T-Formation. Six times in the decade he led all QBs in rushing yardage. Four times he lead his entire team in rushing yardage. That's not to say he was an elite rusher rattling off yards that would make him more like a halfback, it was that the lack of talent amongst the other offensive players often forced his hand, making him take a ton of punishment in the process. 1956 is a grand example of the One Man Band analogy. Rote lead the NFL in completions, attempts, yards, and passing touchdowns with 18. He also was one shy of the rushing touchdown lead with 11. Out of the 34 touchdowns the Packers scored that season, Rote was involved with 29 of them. Alas, their defense couldn't stop a Girl Scout troop and the team finished 4-8. The following year Rote was traded to the Detroit Lions, the overall package netting Green Bay three offensive linemen and a running back. Rote was brought in as insurance for an injury-prone Bobby Layne. The set-up to the '57 year lends some credence to the first check mark. As much as Rote claimed in later years he like the city of Green Bay best, by '57 he had to have been tired of the losing and enjoyed the idea of playing with a genuine competitor. As for the second, Detroit did that perplexing thing and alternated Rote and Layne during every game, so you can't say he rode the bench during that season. But very late into the season, Layne broke his ankle and Rote was thrown to the wolves. He responded with the best playoff performance out of any candidate not named Layne or Graham. He led the Lions to a comeback win in a Play-off against the San Francisco 49ers, and then helped utterly dismantle the Cleveland Browns. When the team needed him, he helped get them their last title. So that's the second check mark. The inconsistency was the primary detraction for Rote during his playing career. That and a poor completion percentage overall. Both can be explained as a byproduct of a lack of supporting talent. Surround him with better players, and as '57 showed, he delivers. Backup Halfback: Ollie Matson- 1956 Secondary Positions: Fullback(Backup), Defensive Halfback(Emergency), Kick Returner(Primary), Punt Returner(Alternate) -6'2 200. Chicago Cardinals: 1952, 1954-58/ Los Angeles Rams: 1959-62/ Detroit Lions: 1963/ Philadelphia Eagles: 1964-66https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/pro-bowl-football-game-east-vs-west-east-player-ollie-matson-mvp-runs-picture-id150189695?s=612x612 In the grand scheme of things, Matson's career was relatively stable. There were moments. His college, the University of San Francisco, was not invited to a bowl game in '51 despite a 9-0 record because several bowls in the Deep South refused to invite teams with black players on them, and the Dons refused to leave their black players behind. He attended the 1952 Summer Olympics and collected medals in a couple of the track categories. He spent an entire year in '53 enrolled in the US Army. And then there was the time when he was traded for nine whole players before the '59 season. But all in all, he had steady, quality years for teams that sadly did not come close to contention. If Frank Gifford were not connected to Vince Lombardi, this lack of success would've been a detracting factor regardless. As it is, Matson's the best available halfback in terms of athletic skill, and more than capable of playing either side(as well as flanking out wide), but the primary reason he's here is because of his prowess in the return game. Nine total return touchdowns during this decade, with nobody else coming close. He's already the primary returner for kicks and the top alternate for punts if Tunnell and Christiansen do not pan out. Backup Fullback: John Henry Johnson- 1957 Secondary Positions: Halfback(Backup), Linebacker(Theoretical) -6'2 210. San Francisco 49ers: 1954-56/ Detroit Lions: 1957-59/ Pittsburgh Steelers: 1960-65/ Houston Oilers(AFL): 1966https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-72jH60ar6p8/V1XRTsQBEQI/AAAAAAAADHg/lfQcpUat6-kYwxwYoU3ESM4qQUTw9KNVACLcB/s1600/2016-06-06_13-35-21.jpg Johnson is not yet at the statistical peak that he would achieve with the Steelers, but he vaults over an endless supply of line plungers, Elephant Backs, and the Jet by virtue of his blocking. In short, he was considered the greatest blocking back for his time. That there could be such consensus for a trait that has no statistical reference(even in the modern game, Pancake Blocks are only brief demonstrations of power and can be misinterpreted) says a lot about his skills. Johnson thankfully was also a strong runner inside and out and could catch passes out of the backfield, so you can actually use him in the offensive game... but that blocking, man. Lombardi will absolutely love him. So will Unitas. And Gifford, Jim Brown, Lenny Moore... you get the picture. Unofficially, this skill makes him a key cog in the special teams units. You can have him in the backfield protecting the punter, You can have him blocking downfield for the returners... he relished blocking so much because it gave him a chance to hit back, so he probably is a top player making tackles on the coverage units too. In short, he's the perfect backup fullback for these All-Time teams. Backup Halfback: Lynn Chandnois- 1952 Secondary Positions: Kick Returner(Secondary), Punt Returner(Alternate) -6'2 198. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1950-56https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51aXKiNBcZL._SY445_.jpg This is more of a luxury pick, thanks to Chuck Bednarik occupying two starting positions. In short, we need a partner on Kick Returns for Matson, and this is the next best Kick Returner. Lynn is third all time in Career Kick Return Average with 29.6 yards per return. The two ahead of him are Gale Sayers and Cordarrelle Patterson. Kick Returns were almost always the only chance he got to show his skills because the Steeler teams of this decade were more often than not plagued by bad coaching and bad performance overall. Lynn was one of the exceptions, thought of as a "Money" player with the speed to make big plays on the ground or in the air. There was one time where he opened up a game with a kick return for a touchdown, only for a blocking teammate to be penalized for offsides. The kick was re-done... and another return for a touchdown. Offensively, he's a typical Right Halfback though the Steelers only briefly ran the T-Formation; they were the last team to use the Single Wing. The running numbers don't show it, but he's worthwhile as a Hybrid player much like Lenny Moore, provided he gets actual proper coaching. That won't be a problem here. On returns, his preference is to take the ball on the run(The Steelers played in Forbes Field, and the pitchers mound was just within the field of play so Lynn would stand upon it during kickoffs, getting a good start downhill as he ran to the kicked ball), and his speed serves him well. A lost gem that I'm pretty sure nobody but the Steelers historians may remember. Backup End: Billy Wilson- 1954 -6'3 190. San Francisco 49ers: 1951-60https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/fortyniner-end-billy-wilson-snags-pass-from-teammate-ya-tittle-good-picture-id515338572?s=612x612 Given that we won't see sub-packages with more than two wide receivers until the 1980's(I mean actual wide receivers and not halfbacks lining up wide), the backups to these positions will be stuck on the bench, or subbed in for situational reasons. Either way, you need understudies. For the 'outside' end, we'll turn to Wilson, who if you listen to former teammates, seems an awful lot like a more mobile Raymond Berry, only his preparation is merely mortal. They claim his agility and speed were great, they say he had hands of glue, they say he was a great leaper and great after the catch. Oh, and a great blocker too. There are faster contemporaries in the player pool, but I don't think any of the 'split' ends were better blockers. Wilson admittedly isn't a real home-run hitter, but the 49ers of the time were more apt to run a short-passing game, kind of a distant ancestor of the West Coast Offense. There, Wilson's agility and speed were more in use after the catch though he could get up in the air better than most. Here, he's a fine replacement for Berry but he might have more worth as a blocking substitute for Lenny Moore at flanker. Backup End: Jim Mutscheller- 1958 -6'1 205. Baltimore Colts: 1954-61https://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/04/15/sports/15mutscheller-obit/15mutscheller-obit-articleLarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale We also need an understudy for Pihos. There's really only two other 'tight' ends of this decade actually noted for solid blocking. The first is Mutscheller of the Colts, the other being Bob Schnelker of the Giants. One might think Lombardi would prefer Schnelker, since he's worked with him. But in a vaccuum, Mutscheller is the better player of the two. Ends lined up tight on the line would normally be jammed up by opposing ends, linebackers, and defensive halfbacks. With the Pro-Set, these ends would have a flanker taking the attention of the secondary, directly forcing a linebacker or a safety to cover them one-on-one. Jim was mobile enough to get open against such coverage, and sure-handed enough to be a favorable target from Unitas. In terms of blocking, he's either 2A or 2B on the list depending on what you think of Schnelker, slightly behind Pihos. Jim was also willing enough to contribute on defense and special teams, which is a bonus for benchplayers. Besides, if you have someone like Johnny U under center, you should provide him with a good amount of his known targets if you can help it. Backup Tackle: Lou Groza- 1953 Secondary Positions: Placekicker(Primary) -6'3 240. Cleveland Browns(AAFC): 1946-49/ Cleveland Browns: 1950-59, 1961-67http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/992/337/lougroza_display_image.jpg?1307323706 Groza was well above his peers in the art of the placekick. We discussed this in the AAFC section of the 40's. Groza's ability to hit from long range is what nets him this spot, but it doesn't hurt that he's a good enough blocker to start at Left Tackle for the Browns. Backup Center: Ray Wietecha- 1959 -6'1 225. New York Giants: 1953-62http://www.vintagecardprices.com/pics/2050/99753.jpg The anchor of the Giants offensive line. His experience with Lombardi makes him the immediate front-runner, just ahead of Frank Gatski, and well ahead of Jim Ringo(who at this time is currently enduring multiple bad seasons with Green Bay but will be uplifted when Lombardi arrives in '59). His knowledge is immaculate; he understands all the 'abnormal' defensive formations and calls them out, he remembers the assignments of his blocking mates on the line. His strength and mobility were great for their position(it would be a long while before Centers started to get close to the weight of their contemporaries on the line). His snapping was excellent, even more so when long snapping to kickers and punters. Long Snappers were just the starting centers around that time, and the position wouldn't become specialized until the 80's, but Ray was one of the few lauded for the skill. He could actually stun audiences by not looking back while he was snapping the ball. Backup Defensive End: Ernie Stautner- 1958 Secondary Positions: Defensive Tackle(Backup), Offensive Guard(Backup) -6'1 230. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1950-63https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f9/60/c3/f960c3953abcb4f54fe2b2d8ea4e0bc5.jpg Funny thing about the Steelers. As mediocre as they were for the 50's, they did have a few really good players. Chandnois is considered amongst them but here he's more a luxury. Stautner by comparison is the real deal. In truth, Ernie is a defensive tackle by trade, even with his small size. He was incredibly strong and relentless during his time, even in his twilight years(one time he broke his thumb so badly the bone was sticking out. He finished out the defensive series, then taped his hand into a club to keep playing). His mobility was excellent too. But it's the versatility that's the real bonus. Ernie shifted over to defensive end before the end of the decade and still merited All-Pro honors. He also spent a year on the offensive side of the ball, playing Right Guard. That's even more valuable as the team desperately needs a backup there. We can use him as a backup on both sides of the ball and use him as a high-motor runner on special teams. Backup Defensive Tackle: Leo Nomellini- 1954 Secondary Positions: Offensive Tackle(Backup) -6'3 259. San Francisco 49ers: 1950-63https://s.hdnux.com/photos/11/05/64/2383159/9/628x471.jpg "The Lion", as he was mostly called when he was an off-season wrestler, could conceivably be inserted over Big Daddy Lipscomb or even Art Donovan in the starting lineup if we were inclined to do so. He was that dominant, with pretty much no holes in his game. What's to say? He had the size, speed, and strength to be an all-around terror on the line, and he backed it up with intense dedication and love for the game. Interior linemen, you're going to find, will be much like the offensive line in terms of accolades. Eventually you're either trying to find subtle differences between players to set them apart, or you submit to the cliche "money shot" to describe them. Leo wasn't complicated. At times he played tackle on offense- and dominated that too. He was also a quality kick blocker for his time. If you decide not to insert him into the starting lineup, he can back up both sides of the ball and he can contribute heavily to special teams. Backup Linebacker: Chuck Drazenovich- 1955 -6'1 225. Washington Redskins: 1950-59https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/419iOlOmzlL._SY445_QL70_.jpg Some wouldn't think we need another Middle Linebacker since we have Sam Huff and Joe Schmidt. Others would think we need to pack the linebacker corps with MLBs because they were the ones getting the accolades. Honestly, it's more about finding linebackers who can adapt to the Landry 4-3, not just as a Middle Linebacker but as an Outside Linebacker as well. And of the bunch, Drazenovich has the best all-around skills. He apparently has the best instincts outside of Schmidt, and is highly capable of "scraping" and tackling from the Middle spot. He's also good in zone coverage, making him a good quality outside LB as well. Backup Linebacker: Harland Svare- 1959 -6'0 214. Los Angeles Rams: 1953-54, New York Giants: 1955-60https://www.footballcardgallery.com/1956_Giants_Team_Issue/28/Harland_Svare.jpg Given the emphasis on the Landry 4-3 for pass defense and covering the flats, it makes sense to put one of the Giants OLBs on the roster. Between him and Bill Svoboda, Svare has the better potential(he was the one chosen to cover Ray Berry directly in the '58 Title Game, remember). On a fun little tidbit; if Sam Huff's name was actually Sam Svuff, it would have made for one of the quirkier linebacker units in NFL history. Svuff, Svoboda, Svare. You can tell how little I actually have on this guy if I'm going to digress to something that useless. Backup Defensive Back: Jack Butler- 1957 -6'1 200. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1951-59https://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/756/477/jackb_original.jpg?1298911091 Much like Ernie Stautner, Butler was fairly no-nonsense during his career. As the second Steeler actually given an 'elite' label, it's worth noting that athletically he wasn't really any better than your typical defensive halfback or safety around this time. Jack simply compensated with great instincts and a hard working mentality. The lone peculiarity was in how he was used. Typically a player on Jack's level gets inserted into a specific position and is then left alone. Instead, he was passed around all over the defensive secondary, as if used to plug up the biggest holes in the pass defense depending on his supporting cast(last time I had him starting at Right Defensive Halfback because there wasn't any place else to put him). He also moonlit on occasion as a receiver though without much success. Jack's role on this team is much the same as on the Steelers, only he's not starting. Think of him as a glue guy, ready to fill in for injuries. Backup Defensive Back: Yale Lary- 1959 Secondary Positions: Punter(Primary), Punt Returner(Alternate) -5'11 185. Detroit Lions: 1952-53, 1956-64https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/football-nfl-championship-detroit-lions-yale-lary-in-action-making-picture-id81354941?s=612x612 Make no mistake, Lary's a quality safety. On talent alone he's definitely amongst the frontrunners for the backup safety spot behind Tunnell and Christiansen(good enough to succeed Christiansen as the leader of the Lions secondary, in fact). It's just that he's also a top-notch punter on top of that, and all the other punting candidates were significantly lesser in their primary positions, if they had primary positions to begin with. Much like Horace Gillom, Lary was primarily a booming hang time punter, which is definitely good when pinned deep, but apparently it could lead to a lot of touchbacks if too close to the opposing end zone. Personally, I don't think that will be too much of a problem. Lou Groza's kicking range is undoubtedly superior to whomever the Lions had kicking field goals around this time, so that swallows up some of the space where Lary probably would've kicked those touchbacks. Backup Defensive Back: Don Paul- 1955 Secondary Positions: Punt Returner(Alternate) -6'0 187. Chicago Cardinals: 1950-53/ Cleveland Browns: 1954-58https://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/992/388/paul-brown_display_image.jpg?1307324328 With Butler being a Jack-of-all-Trades(kek), we need a pure defensive halfback to round out the roster. We also need someone wholly used to playing on the right side of the defense(Jim David is converted from the left side, remember). This Don Paul(the other was a linebacker for the Rams) is the best of the bunch that fits this criteria. He was certainly good enough for Paul Brown to trade for in order to replace Tommy James, though that only happened because Paul refused to be traded to Washington first. The Discarded: I suppose it would make sense to start with the Cleveland Browns, who went to six straight NFL Championships and for the most part were soundly ignored. Most were simply replaced by better players but a few deserve mentioning. Otto Graham we've discussed quite a bit; he's handcuffed to Paul Brown because Paul Brown called the plays. Dante Lavelli still had his glue fingers but Billy Wilson was the superior blocker. A guy like Ray Renfro, used entirely like a flanker, was simply outclassed by Lenny Moore. Mike McCormack, Abe Gibron, and Frank Gatski were all great linemen, only McCormack was supplemented by someone with an extra skillset. Gatski fell through because we needed a Giant at a backup lineman spot. Gibron was just outclassed by Stan Jones. Len Ford may have been the most unfairly cut of the bunch, as the defensive line needed a Giant to teach the process(Robustelli), and then Ernie Stautner filled more needs. Don Colo at defensive tackle and Walt Michaels at linebacker were guys who just came up short against all-around talent. The tandem of Warren Lahr and Tommy James got a bum rap as well; Lahr mainly because of Night Train Lane. James though could be thought of as superior to Don Paul, but that's just conjecture. Horace Gillom was probably a better punter than Lary, but he offered significantly less at either offense or defense as an end. The exclusion of Bobby Layne is perhaps a deeply unfair one, though the problem of having a Hall-of-Famer ride the bench(even as a kicker he'd only backup Groza) still applies here. It was that and an infamous off-field reputation that gave me pause, though I'm probably over-emphasizing the off-field stuff. Y.A. Tittle was the top choice overall for the backup spot, but I couldn't shake the evidence that he never really delivered in playoff or championship games. Again, probably another over-emphasis, since his short passing game might be suited for the Lombardi offense. Norm Van Brocklin had the best arm and doubled as a punter which would've solved a major problem right from the start, but his perfectionist and sometimes-abusive nature towards his teammates was a major warning sign; it led to him bombing so memorably when he finally became a Head Coach. Charlie Conerly had the New York connection, but otherwise didn't stand out. Runners. Doak Walker and Hugh McElhenny were all-around dynamos for their teams, but they were simply outclassed when it came to the starting positions, and none of them could hold a candle to Ollie Matson's ability on returns. As for Fullbacks, there was quite the list. Alan Ameche of Baltimore and Rick Casares of Chicago were definite line plungers. Dan Towler and Tank Younger were part of the Elephant Backfield of the Los Angeles Rams during the early 50's, Younger playing the de facto fullback and even doubling as a linebacker. And then there was Joe Perry, the Jet, the lone guy capable of imitating Jim Brown to any capacity. In the end I just valued John Henry Johnson's blocking more than any of them. Blocking was the key factor that doomed a lot of playmaking ends. Kyle Rote played in the Lombardi system, but the Unitas-Berry connection was too good. Guys like Crazylegs Hirsch and Tom Fears had unknown qualities about their blocking, as did the speedster Harlon Hill. Billy Howton once had a season long bet with Max McGee over who could throw the least blocks in a season. The winner won with two. Only Bob Schnelker had a blocking pedigree, and could be taken ahead of Jim Mutscheller. However, there is one unqualified candidate who was unique enough to warrant mention here; R.C. Owens. Not a lengthy career by any means but he burst onto the scene with San Francisco in '57. You've heard of the term "alley oop", yes? I do believe this was the creation of that term. It was really just a long bomb by Tittle to Owens, where Owens would simply leap up and grab the ball; it didn't matter how covered he was, because virtually nobody could challenge Owens in the air; he had the superior vertical leap of all the contenders. He would've qualified for an exception had the roster size been larger. The blockers were usually waylaid by specific skills. Lou Creekmur was outdone by Rosey Brown's excellent mobility and Lou Groza's kicking(he dabbled at Left Guard but I don't think his sweeping ability was good enough to justify taking him there). So was George Connor, who could have doubled at outside linebacker but probably wasn't mobile enough. Richard Barwegan didn't outdo Duane Putnam. Jim Ringo had yet to be elevated by Lombardi, who would still go with Wietecha here for the backup spot. Richard Stanfel lost out mainly because of Stan Jones' strength training. Marchetti might make a case for Gene Brito, but again, Robustelli teaches the line play, and Stautner fills more holes. The Middle Guards are either pure linemen(Les Bingaman, Bucko Kilroy), or are alternating as linebackers(Dale Dodrill, Les Richter). None of the linemen could crack the foursome at defensive tackle, and the linebackers were in the same boat. Doug Atkins, Norm Willey, and Ed Sprinkle were outdone for the same reasons as Brito. Bill George is the biggest name of the linebackers, a ferocious MLB who could put his fist in the dirt and play Middle Guard, but his coverage skills weren't good enough to crack the roster. Some names, like LaVern Torgeson and Roger Zatkoff, actually started for some of Detroit's championship teams, but were otherwise nondescript. The hardest name to leave out was actually Hardy Brown, who generally was rather small for his position and wasn't really mobile but would've been a pure terror on special teams if the squad didn't need secondary depth even more. Hardy Brown hit you like a tank shell. He hit you so hard you'd rather he just took a baseball bat and swung at your head instead. He'd give you the ol' humper by lunging into you with his shoulder and you'd wake up two weeks later... inside your own coffin. He'd knock everybody out to the point where opposing teams charged at only him during kickoffs. Get that? They would let the returner run free just so they could mob rush Hardy and put him out before he put them out. Why couldn't the roster have been expanded to forty in this decade!? The defensive halfbacks are largely nondescript but a couple of safeties are worth mentioning. Jimmy Patton was part of the New York Giants and likely would've been a favorite of Tom Landry. Jerry Norton was a bit like Yale Lary in that he doubled as a punter for Philadelphia and the Cardinals. Bobby Dillon was amongst the interception leaders despite only having one eye. No joke. He wore a glass eye to replace the one he lost, one time actually calling a timeout because it fell into the dirt and he was looking for it. He was one of the few Packers on this decade that was worth the print and the praise and if he only wore an eye patch during games... But in the end, none of them could crack the starting lineup and not even Norton could out-punt Lary. The Scrimmagers: Without a competing league to shoulder the heavy burden of these scrimmages, we're back to the old standard. The number of teams has been boosted to twelve, but that's hardly a help to the player pool. As usual, the five-year guideline is reduced, but there's a catch. We can assemble All-Remainder squads of certain teams, three champions, an also-ran, and a collection of what's left for five teams total. However, two of the actual champions in this decade(Baltimore Colts and New York Giants) have been utterly decimated to the point where they can't be assembled. Of the others, two champions and the also-ran(Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers) are missing key components of their roster, so they will have to have "guests", players from other teams that fill the lost need. Unlike the 30's, players will not jump from one roster to the next. Cleveland Browns All-Decade Remainders(One Guest): Head Coach- Paul Brown- 1959 Key Assistant- Blanton Collier- 1953 Key Assistant- Howard Brinker- 1959(Defensive Coordinator) Key Asisstant- Paul Bixler- 1955 Key Assistant- Fritz Heisler- 1959(Offensive Line) Key Assistant- Ed Ulinski- 1959(Offensive Line/Tackles?) Key Assistant- Richard Gallagher- 1959 Offense: Pro-Set Defense: 5-2/4-3 Hybrid Offense QB: Otto Graham- 1954 LH: Bobby Mitchell- 1958(KR/PR) FB: Marion Motley- 1950 RH/FL: Ray Renfro- 1958 LE: Pete Brewster- 1955 LT: Mike McCormack- 1959(Off-Position) LG: Jim Ray Smith- 1959 C: Frank Gatski- 1950 RG: Gene Hickerson- 1959 RT: Lou Rymkus- 1950 RE: Dante Lavelli- 1954Defense LDE: Carlton Massey- 1955 LDT: Bob Gain- 1957 MG/MLB: Bill Willis- 1951 RDT: Don Colo- 1955 RDE: Len Ford- 1955 LLB: Chuck Noll- 1955 RLB: Walt Michaels- 1955 LDH: Warren Lahr- 1955 LS: Ken Konz- 1955 RS: Junior Wren- 1959 RDH: Tommy James- 1953Bench: QB: George Ratterman- 1955 HB: Dub Jones- 1950 HB: Ken Carpenter- 1953(KR) FB: Maurice Bassett- 1954 E: Horace Gillom- 1952(P) T: John Sandusky- 1954 G: Abe Gibron- 1955 DE: George Young- 1950 DT: John Kissell- 1955 LB: Tommy Thompson- 1953 LB: Alex Agase- 1950 DB: Bernie Parrish- 1959 DB: Ken Gorgal- 1953 K: Ben Agajanian- 1955(Guest- Rams) The lone piece lost that can't be replaced is Lou Groza, who took on virtually all of the placekicking duties for the decade. Ben Agajanian is one of the very first pure kicking specialists to arrive in the NFL, and his selection comes down to a lack of available depth space for other equally competent kickers who occupy primary jobs. He was a specialist because in college he suffered a freak accident that claimed all the toes in his right foot, compensating by fitting square toes into his boot. There was one other pure kicker who is considered better(Sam Baker), but he also did punting, and the Browns already have an elite punter in Horace Gillom. This is a more frankensteinish team than you'd expect of the Browns, who shuffled a surprising amount of players between 1950 and 1955. The most stable players came from the '55 Championship. The offense has to make do without Jim Brown, but Marion Motley is hardly a slouch. The halfbacks have been upgraded with later day stars and the offensive style is more Pro-Set than anything resembling the T. The defense is a kind of hybrid, alternating between 5-2 and 4-3. The surreal quickness of Bill Willis allows for that kind of capacity. Mac Speedie is probably the most noteworthy expulsion from this team. Los Angeles Rams All-Decade Remainders: Head Coach: Joe Stydahar- 1951 Key Assistant: Red Hickey- 1951 Key Assistant: Hamp Pool- 1951 Key Asisstant: Ray Richards- 1951 Offense: Pro-Set/T Hybrid Defense: 5-2 Offense QB: Norm Van Brocklin- 1953(P) LH: Jon Arnett- 1958 FB: Dan Towler- 1951 RH: Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch- 1951 LE: Tom Fears- 1950 LT: Bob Fry- 1958 LG: Richard Daugherty- 1951 C: Leon McLaughlin- 1954 RG: John Hock- 1956 RT: Tom Dahms- 1951 RE: Bob Boyd- 1954 Defense LDE: Larry Brink- 1951 LDT: Bud McFadin- 1955 MG: Les Richter- 1958 RDT: Frank Fuller- 1953 RDE: Lou Michaels- 1958 LLB: Tank Younger- 1951 RLB: Don Paul- 1952 LDH: Jerry Williams- 1951 LS: Don Burroughs- 1955 RS: Will Sherman- 1955 RDH: Woodley Lewis- 1953(KR/PR)Bench QB: Bob Waterfield- 1951(PK) HB: Verda "Vitamin" Smith- 1950(KR) FB: Richard Hoerner- 1951 E: Del Shofner- 1959 T: Charlie Toogood- 1955(DT) G: Harry Thompson- 1954 C: John Morrow- 1958 DE: Lamar Lundy- 1959 MG: Stan West- 1951 LB: Bob Griffin- 1955 LB: Hugh Pitts- 1956 DB: Herb Rich- 1952 DB: Norb Hecker- 1953 DB: Jack Dwyer- 1953 This is an attempt to combine two back-to-back unique offenses. The 1950 Rams were a passing dynamo, utilizing the Pro-Set with three receivers(Crazylegs Hirsch, Tom Fears) to devastating effect. The 1951 Rams by contrast added what became known as the "Elephant Backfield", which equates throwing out three fullbacks(Dan Towler, Richard Hoerner, Tank Younger) in the backfield at the same time. They would unleash this grouping on outsized defenses, making them bulk up so they could sub in their speedy guys. It's more a wrinkle than an overall offense, but combined with the three-end format this offense has an answer for just about everything. The defense is far more ordinary, your basic 5-2 with a occasionally withdrawing Middle Guard. Detroit Lions All-Decade Remainders(Two Guests): Head Coach: Raymond "Buddy" Parker- 1953 Key Assistant: Gerrard "Buster" Ramsey- 1953(Defense) Key Assistant: Aldo Forte- 1953(Offensive Line) Key Assistant: George Wilson- 1953(Ends) Key Assistant: Russ Thomas- 1953 Offense: T Formation Defense: 5-2 Offense QB: Bobby Layne- 1952 LH: Doak Walker- 1953(PK/KR/PR) FB: Rick Casares- 1955(Guest- Bears) RH: Bob Hoernschmeyer- 1953 LE: Cloyce Box- 1952 LT: Lou Creekmur- 1956 LG: Harley Sewell- 1956 C: Charlie Ane- 1956 RG: Richard Stanfel- 1953 RT: Gus Cifelli- 1952 RE: Leon Hart- 1953Defense LDE: Darris McCord- 1957 LDT: Ray Krouse- 1956 MG: Les Bingaman- 1953 RDT: Bob Miller- 1956 RDE: Gil Mains- 1957 LLB: Roger Zatkoff- 1957(Off-Position) RLB: LaVern Torgeson- 1953 LDH: Don Doll- 1950 LS: Bobby Dillon- 1955(Off-Position)(Guest- Packers) RS: Carl Karilivacz- 1954 RDH: Bob Smith- 1952(P)Bench QB: Earl Morrall- 1959 HB: Howard "Hopalong" Cassady- 1957 FB: Ollie Cline- 1953 E: Jim Doran- 1957 T: Ollie Spencer- 1956 G: John Gordy- 1957 C: Vince Banonis- 1953 DE: Jim Cain- 1953 DT: Alex Karras- 1959 LB: Jim Martin- 1957 LB: Bob Long- 1959 DB: Bill Stilts- 1954 DB: Terry Barr- 1957 DB: Gary Lowe- 1959 The secondary was utterly decimated by us, leaving two backups, one starter, and a guest from the Packers on Bobby Dillon. Anyway, the second guest is a luxury. Detroit didn't really get great productivity out of their fullbacks until John Henry Johnson came along in '57. Rick Casares is a quality line plunger who for a brief time was an incredible ground gainer for the Bears. He adds another weapon for the Lions offense, which as far as I can tell hadn't deviated much from the standard T. Guys like Dorne Dibble are the main castoffs. The defense is sadder, as you can't replace Joe Schmidt(we already plucked up the only guy that could theoretically replace him), but the unit still runs the 5-2 that existed while Les Bingaman was still playing. San Francisco 49ers All-Remainder Team: Head Coach: Buck Shaw- 1953 Offense: T Formation Defense: 4-3 Offense QB: Y.A. Tittle- 1957 LH: Hugh McElhenny- 1956(KR) FB: Joe Perry- 1953 RH: R.C. Owens- 1957 LE: Gordie Soltau- 1953(PK) LT: John Thomas- 1959 LG: Bruce Bosley- 1959 C: Bill Johnson- 1953 RG: Ted Connolly- 1957 RT: Frank Varrichione- 1959(Guest- Cardinals) RE: Billy Howton- 1956(Guest- Packers)Defense LDE: Ed Henke- 1957 LDT: Bob Toneff- 1955 RDT: Bill Herchman- 1957 RDE: Charley Powell- 1956 LLB: Matt Hazeltine- 1957 MLB: Hardy Brown- 1952 RLB: Marv Matuszak- 1957 LDH: Rex Berry- 1953 LS: Jim Cason- 1951 RS: Richard Moegle- 1957 RDH: Lowell Wagner- 1953Bench QB: Frank Albert- 1951(P) HB: Joe Arenas- 1953(KR/PR) FB: Joe Marconi- 1956(Guest- Rams) E: Clyde Conner- 1957 T: Doug Hogland- 1953 G: Jerry Smith- 1953 C: Frank Morze- 1957 DE: Charlie Kreuger- 1959 DT: Al Carapella- 1953 LB: Pete Wismann- 1951 LB: Norm Standlee- 1951 DB: Abe Woodson- 1959 DB: George Maderos- 1956 DB: Jerry Mertens- 1959 Probably the most noteworthy team of the decade to not win a title, the 49ers came the closest in '57, losing in the playoffs to the Lions in a truly heartbreaking fashion(they led 24-7 at halftime, lost 31-27). Three guests have been invited. The right ride has been decimated(Bob St. Clair and Billy Wilson), and the existance of Joe Perry leaves a need for an established backup fullback. Frank Varrichione is a fill-in at tackle. Billy Howton was the go-to receiver for the Packers but would infamously be the biggest name traded away when Vince Lombardi arrived in '59. Howton doesn't block like Wilson, but he's probably his equal in receiving. Joe Marconi is a Rams cast-off with good line plunging abilities. The offense is based on the '57 standard despite Buck Shaw not coaching at the time. This is to exploit the connection between Y.A. Tittle and R.C. Owens, the good ol' Alley-Oop. The reason I think it's a T than the Pro-Set is because I'm doubtful Wilson was really used as a 'tight' end, and Howton sure as heck ain't playing that role either. The defense like most others bounced around from the 5-3 to the 5-2 to the 4-3. The 4-3 puts Hardy Brown in the middle with good linebackers flanking him, so he can be a terror. 1950's All-Decade Remainders: Head Coach: Wilbur "Weeb" Ewbank- 1959 Key Assistant: Charley Winner- 1959(Defense) Key Assistant: Herman Ball- 1959 Key Assistant: John Bridgers- 1958 Key Assistant: Bob Shaw- 1958(Ends?) Offense: Pro-Set Defense: 4-3 Offense QB: Milt Plum- 1959 LH: Tom Tracy- 1958 FB: Alan Ameche- 1958 RH: Tommy McDonald- 1958 LE: Harlon Hill- 1956 LT: Jim Parker- 1959 LG: Art Spinney- 1959 C: Jim Ringo- 1959 RG: Jack Stroud- 1956 RT: Forrest Gregg- 1959 RE: Bob Schenlker- 1959Defense LDE: Gene Brito- 1955 LDT: Arnie Weinmeister- 1953 RDT: Rosey Grier- 1956 RDE: Doug Atkins- 1959 LLB: Bill Svoboda- 1956 MLB: Bill George- 1959 RLB: George Connor- 1955 LDH: Carl Taseff- 1958 LS: Andy Nelson- 1958 RS: Jimmy Patton- 1958 RDH: Milt Davis- 1959Bench QB: Charlie Conerly- 1959 HB: Buddy Young- 1951(KR/PR) FB: Mel Triplett- 1955 E: Hugh Taylor- 1952 T: Bill Wightkin- 1955 G: Bill Austin- 1954 C: Larry Strickland- 1956 DE: Don Joyce- 1958 DT: Richard Modzelewski- 1956 LB: Don Shinnick- 1959 LB: Dale Dodrill- 1957 DB: Tom Brookshier- 1957 DB: Jerry Norton- 1955(KR) K/P: Sam Baker- 1957 We've grabbed the Colts coaching staff, and assembled a squad of what's left. Major remaining elements from the Colts and the Giants are in prominence. The offensive line is further boosted by emerging talents in Jim Ringo and Forrest Gregg, gaining accolades thanks to the turnaround season Green Bay had in '59. The defense is bolstered by Bears, with Doug Atkins, George Connor, and the ringleader in Bill George, and also boasts the pass-rushing skills of Gene Brito. The weakness of the team may be at Quarterback, where Charlie Conerly is nearly forty and Milt Plum is relatively new. However, Plum is a part of the Browns and is quite proficient with the ball, which enables him to get it to the home run hitters in Harlon Hill, Tommy McDonald, and Bob Schnelker. Tom Tracy is a rather low-grade player at left halfback, but he'll be serviceable enough as a partner to Alan Ameche. Final Tidbits: The Coaching Staff comes from the Giants, so... Stadium Venue: Yankee Stadium, New York City Training Camp: St. Michael's College(Winooski, Vermont) The Giants finally moved into Yankee Stadium in 1956, a lot of this probably having to do with the Polo Grounds slowly degrading over the years. By the time the Baseball Giants moved to San Francisco a year later, the end was in sight, though the Polo Grounds would be used on and off during the early 60's, as a venue for the New York Titans(soon to be Jets) of the AFL and the International Soccer League. The Training Camp in Vermont is not really a big deal(if you don't live in the northeast US, you'd be incredibly surprised how short a distance everything is from each other, including states). As for as broadcasting goes, we actually have multiple networks to choose from. The DuMont Television Network, one of the pioneering TV Networks of the time, made the first real splash in the television era by securing the rights to televise NFL Championships in 1951(paying $75,000 in the process). In 1953 DuMont also began televising Saturday Night games, which thanks to the Black and White footage of the time probably helped lead to rule changes in uniforms- and also introduced a white ball that could be seen by players and viewers alike. Sadly, these arrangements lasted until the end of 1955, when DuMont folded this arrangement. It would die off entirely by 1956. Replacing DuMont would be the National Broadcasting Company- NBC. They would pay $100,000 for the NFL Championship Broadcasting rights. The Columbia Broadcasting Station- CBS- would televise select NFL games starting in '56. Everything else was purely at the whim of NFL Franchises and the local stations in those cities, it would be a while before the NFL could enforce television parity for each team, but since we're only focused on a key important game... Television Broadcast: NBC, announced by Chris Schenkel(first half) and Chuck Thompson(second half) The format for those days was to take the primary radio broadcasters for the Championship teams and have them split the announcing detail by half. In this case, Chris Schenkel broadcasted for the New York Giants and Chuck Thompson broadcasted for the Baltimore Colts. We're going with these two because the biggest components of this Squad come from the Colts and Giants and because these two broadcasted the Greatest Game Ever Played. Theye did not try having two broadcasters on the air at once, and nor shall we. ...now I gotta deal with another contending league in the AFL next decade. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zycho32 Posted August 5, 2019 Author Share Posted August 5, 2019 The 1960's All-Decade Teams; the NFL and the AFL: Once more, we have a competing league to contend with. Thankfully, it's one that we are all well aware of, since all its teams were merged into the NFL and maintained their own 'conference' to the present day. I am of course talking about the American Football League. The successful one. Fun fact; seven different assorted competing or minor leagues during the NFL's existence prior to 1960 had that name. None lasted longer than two years at a stretch. The leagues that arose in 1926, 1936, and 1940 were the most notable, enough so that they got roman numerals as a nickname of sorts(this AFL was also known as 'AFL IV', to give you an idea). Even factoring World War II into the equation, none of these leagues really had the staying power- including the '26 league that had Red Grange as its main superstar. So, what changed this time around? Like the AAFC before it, the initial cause was an inability to get into the door of the NFL. It wasn't really just the concept of expansion, that came second. What started it was the tumultuous presence of the Chicago Cardinals, who by the 1950's had become the joke of the city, overshadowed by the Bears and unable to carve enough of a niche within the city to make a Cubs/White Sox dynamic possible. The ownership family, the Bidwells, were looking to move to St. Louis, but needed investors because a relocation fee could not be negotiated. Among the prospective investors was a Dallas-based heir to an Oil Magnate named Lamar Hunt. Problem was the Bidwells wanted to keep controlling interest of the franchise and were not interested in moving to Dallas like Hunt was aiming for. Other prospective investors were having similar problems and once the whole idea of investing in the Cardinals went belly up, they did the next thing and went to the NFL to sell the idea of expanding. NFL Commissioner at the time, Bert Bell, rejected the offer partly because he felt it risked the success the league was achieving around this time. Partly. After all, increasing the amount of teams taking pieces of the pie from twelve to sixteen or so is pretty unappealing to those already at the table(that the pie could expand to such a size as to make the concept pleasing had yet to occur to them). On the flight back, Hunt began to dream up plans for a competing league. The others who were looking to deal with the Cardinals and looked to bring expansion to the NFL(one of whom was Bud Adams) were the first he reached out to. Then he reached out to others. Things went so smoothly that the league was officially announced on July of 1959. The NFL's response was to lure away the ownership group that controlled the Minneapolis-St. Paul franchise(becoming the Minnesota Vikings), make plans to expand into Houston and Dallas to compete with AFL franchises there(only the Dallas Cowboys would emerge, competing with the Dallas Texans, Hunt's club... which would finally move to Kansas City in the 60's and become the Chiefs), and then allow the Bidwells to move the Cardinals to St. Louis(depriving the AFL of another prospective city). No matter. By 1960 the AFL had franchises in Boston, Buffalo, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and Oakland. The first few years were shaky. The Los Angeles Charges moved to San Diego in '61, the Texans moved to Kansas City in '63, the New York Titans had an owner who became so unreliable with the payroll that players and coaches would race each other to cash their checks before they bounced and suffered from playing in the Polo Grounds- which by this time was a dump masquerading as a sports venue. They would rebound with a new owner and Shea Stadium, re-named the Jets. But by the mid 60's, the AFL was openly competing with the NFL over drafted players and made their own lucrative television deal, opening the door to demonstrate their more open and exciting style of football. By the time both leagues were expanding further, an actual agreement for co-existence was coming into place. The Super Bowl(initially the NFL-AFL Championship) was created around this time, and an eventual merger was set for 1970. By the end of the decade, AFL teams had equalized the 'score' of Super Bowl contests and put to bed the notion that the league was fundamentally inferior. The leagues were turned into conferences, with the Colts, Steelers, and Browns shuffling over to the AFC to equalize the sides. To this date, no original AFL team has ever been shuffled over to the NFC(The Seattle Seahawks were a '76 Expansion and therefore do not count). Again, this will be a four-post process. The first involves this beginning, and will include a section on the rule changes- and rule merging- and general guidelines of the selection process. The second post will be the NFL Team and will follow the same formula as in the 1940's section; the coaches, the roster, the discarded, and the training 'partner'. Same for the AFL, which existed for ten years and therefore will fall under the same rules as the NFL, unlike the AAFC. Finally, the last post will go into the best-of-five series between the two teams. The Rules and Guidelines: In truth, there's not much to say about this section. About the only rule change I could dig up that had any sort of impact is the outlawing of facemask-grabbing in 1962. The same overall set of regulations that the fifties ended with remained pretty much the same for the next decade. But what about the AFL, you ask? They did have a key difference in their rulebook; mainly the allowance of a two-point conversion in place of an extra point kick. The few remaining differences were aesthetic in nature, such as the usage of a scoreboard clock(referees prior to this kept time with a stopwatch). One could be forgiven for thinking unique rules were in place to open up the offensive game given how exciting the AFL was compared to its senior, but all that innovation came within the same overall rulebook and was brought about more from a necessity; the AFL needed a hook to stay afloat especially in the early years, and the NFL willingly provided a more 'plain' product in contrast. This helped to make the Super Bowl a much easier-run affair than say, the numerous exhibitions between NFL and CFL teams during the 1950's(Canadian Football operates with a fairly large difference in rules compared to the American Game, which can cause some issues in translation). It's better to get the overall guidelines out of the way in this section as well. As we already stated, unlike the AAFC, the AFL lasted the full ten years of the decade, and as such will be subject to the same rules as the NFL. As to players who jumped from one league to the next, the process is fairly simple for qualified players. The only kind of player who could cause a problem here is one that spent five years in the NFL and five years in the AFL; I personally do not believe such a player exists because that is so dang specific, but just in case, the tie-breaker probably comes down to the overall number of games played in either side. Other qualified players on either side will likely have not qualified for the other, meaning they'll be a part of the qualified league regardless of how unique/excellent their career in the other league went. Exceptions, players who did not qualify on either side but warranted unique consideration, will also be determined by overall games played on either side. The NFL Squad is coming soon. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zycho32 Posted August 17, 2019 Author Share Posted August 17, 2019 The 1960's NFL All-Decade Team: Every 'complication' has already been discussed in the first post. Well, almost. In the early 60's there was still a matter of US Armed Service deployment- especially during the Cuban Missle Crisis- where a number of NFL players were indeed called up to serve. By the mid 60's that was largely gone, even with the introduction of the Vietnam War. Professional Football Players were on the whole exempt, with only one real player of note having to abstain from playing to serve his country- Quarterback Roger Staubach. He enrolled into the U.S. Naval Academy and played football for the Midshipmen(you college buffs know them as "Navy"). Upon graduation in 1965 he willingly volunteered for a one-year tour of duty in Vietnam(in truth, it was as a Supply Officer in Chu Lai base/port, his naval career path dictated by his color-blindness). He would resign his Naval commission in 1969 and join the Dallas Cowboys. History buffs know the rest. But apart from Roger, the war didn't have much impact on the player pool... except for Rocky Blier, but we'll get to him in the 70's. He wouldn't have qualified in this decade anyway. The steady growth of African-American players continued, and while some positions remained largely off-limits in the NFL, others began to see a conversion of color within the ranks. The fastest-changing position turned out to be cornerback, which started out maybe somewhat evenly black and white but by the end of the decade had maybe two or three notable white cornerbacks left. Runningbacks and Wide Receivers were also changing, but at slower rates and would always have a niche of white athletes among their ranks well into the modern times. Position names have changed for some. There is now only one Halfback, usually occupying the 'weak' side of the line, the Fullback occupying the 'strong' side. The End/Flanker dynamic has been altered. Split Ends are basically split off from the line, but still on the line(rules stipulate seven players on the line). Tight Ends are attached to the line, making whatever side they are on the 'strong' side. Flankers are now receivers like the Split Ends, but they are a couple of yards behind the line, giving them more room to elude their defenders. As the traditional layout places the tight end and flanker on the right side, this creates a notion of the left side of the defense being more important than the right. Speaking of the defense, Defensive Halfbacks have now become just Cornerbacks. Team Roster- The Cliffs Notes Version: Head Coach: Vince Lombardi- 1966 Key Assistant: Phil Bengston- 1966(Defensive Coordinator) Key Assistant: Ray Wietecha- 1966(Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line) Key Assistant: John "Red" Cochran- 1966(Quarterbacks/Runningbacks) Key Assistant: Dave Hanner- 1966(Defensive Line) Key Assistant: Tom Fears- 1965(Wide Receivers/Tight Ends) Key Assistant: Norb Hecker- 1965(Defensive Backs) Offensive Style: Pro-Set Defensive Style: 4-3 Starting Quarterback: Bart Starr- 1966 Starting Halfback: Jim Brown- 1964(Off-Position) Starting Fullback: Jim Taylor- 1961 Starting Split End: Charley Taylor- 1969 Starting Flanker: Paul Warfield- 1969(Slightly Off-Position) Starting Tight End: John Mackey- 1965 Starting Left Tackle: Jim Parker- 1961 Starting Left Guard: Gene Hickerson- 1965(Off-Position) Starting Center: Jim Ringo- 1961 Starting Right Guard: Jerry Kramer- 1966 Starting Right Tackle: Forrest Gregg- 1966 Starting Left Defensive End: David "Deacon" Jones- 1967 Starting Left Defensive Tackle: Merlin Olsen- 1967 Starting Right Defensive Tackle: Bob Lilly- 1966 Starting Right Defensive End: Doug Atkins- 1963 Starting Left Linebacker: Dave Robinson- 1967 Starting Middle Linebacker: Richard Butkus- 1965 Starting Right Linebacker: Chuck Howley- 1969 Starting Left Cornerback: Herb Adderley- 1966 Starting Left Safety: Mel Renfro- 1969(Off-Position) Starting Right Safety: Willie Wood- 1966Starting Right Cornerback: Jimmy Johnson- 1969(Off-Position) Placekicker/Punter: Don Chandler- 1965 Backup Quarterback: Christian "Sonny" Jurgensen- 1969 Backup Halfback: Gale Sayers- 1965 Backup Halfback: Paul Hornung- 1960 Backup Fullback: John Henry Johnson- 1960 Backup End: Gary Collins- 1965 Backup End: Max McGee- 1960 Backup Tight End: Ron Kramer- 1962 Backup Tackle: Bob Skoronski- 1966 Backup Guard: Fred "Fuzzy" Thurston- 1966 Backup Center: Bob DeMarco- 1967 Backup Defensive End: Willie Davis- 1966 Backup Defensive Tackle: Henry Jordan- 1966 Backup Linebacker: Ray Nitschke- 1962 Backup Linebacker: Maxie Baughan- 1967 Backup Cornerback: Abe Woodson- 1961 Backup Cornerback: Richard "Night Train" Lane- 1961 Backup Safety: Richie Petitbon- 1963 The Coaches and Strategies: As if there would be any other choice. Head Coach: Vince Lombardi- 1966 Offensive Style: Pro-Set Defensive Style: 4-3 Key Assistant: Phil Bengston- 1966(Defensive Coordinator) Key Assistant: Ray Wietecha- 1966(Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line) Key Assistant: John "Red" Cochran- 1966(Quarterbacks/Runningbacks) Key Assistant: Dave Hanner- 1966(Defensive Line) Key Assistant: Tom Fears- 1965(Wide Receivers/Tight Ends) Key Assistant: Norb Hecker- 1965(Defensive Backs) We've reached a point where the basic formation is the same across the league. Back in the 20's and 30's, there were teams that had a bigger claim to a 'dynasty' status than the Bears and their T Formation. You had the Single Wing run by the Canton Bulldogs and the Notre Dame Box run by the Green Bay Packers. Those teams won more championships in their decades than the Bears did in either, and yet I still went with the Bears and the T for various reasons. The 40's was an easier choice, as the T became vogue. But the 50's introduced the Pro Set and some more difficult choices have to be made, ultimately eschewing the Cleveland Browns and their dynasty. I'm saying all this to lead up to a key factor; assuming innovation remains equal, and there are no special needs required, the dynasty of the decade takes prominence. And nobody touched Green Bay's five championships and two Super Bowls during the 1960's. Frankly, nobody else could touch Vince as a head coach either. We talked about him a bit in the 50's, but now this is his show. Yes, he was a grueling taskmaster who punished his players during training camp, but when he arrived in '59, the Packers needed that punishment. They had become a lackadaisical outfit and had utterly manipulated their last head coach into becoming lax and the result had been a 1-10-1 season. The Nadir of the franchise. He pushed his players to exert themselves in practice and in conditioning, and told them openly if they didn't want it, they could simply leave town. It looked barbaric, but the 7-5 season netted him Coach of the Year honors and went a long way to getting his players to follow through in subsequent seasons. It wasn't just the conditioning; Vince demanded excellent discipline and professionalism, not just making his players look like a top-class football outfit but getting his players to willingly pursue that top-class. He was an excellent judge of character and had no peers when it came to persuasion, either with the carrot or the stick. Not everyone agreed of course, mostly these were players who only hung around briefly and didn't have enough time on the team to eventually understand. But by the end of the dynasty, there was a rock solid core of players on the team that genuinely learned what their coach truly stood for and went the full mile for the team as a result. Most say his play-calling was rather primitive. He wasn't Tom Landry, who had a field day during his reign in Dallas when it came to offensive innovation and created the Flex Defense. His playbook was surprisingly short, but the secret lay in the details. Take for instance, the Packer Sweep; https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/Packers_sweep_diagram.svg/1200px-Packers_sweep_diagram.svg.png This is the bread-and-butter play of the Packer arsenal, executed with maximum effort. But it's not mindless. Look at the dotted line. The blockers had to decide virtually on the fly whether to push the play inside or outside of the tight end, with the ball carrier following suit. Option Blocking and Option Running, or "Running to Daylight" as Lombardi put it. It could be run either to the left or the right, utilizing either the Halfback(Paul Hornung) or Fullback(Jim Taylor). Once defenses adjusted for the sweep, alternate running plays would be employed to take advantage, whether sweeps with a detail or several different or different run plays entirely. This also sets up the passing game in much the same way a boxer is vulnerable to a head shot if he's taking such a beating to the body he starts favoring that part while blocking. In short, Vince had a limited number of plays, but they all had options within them. With the exception of Fears and Hecker(both of whom went to the expansion Atlanta Falcons), the coaching staff is centered around the 1966 season, which is attached to the very first Super Bowl. The only positions that don't seem to have an attached coach are the linebackers, but I don't believe the Packers had a linebacking coach to begin with. Fears and Ray Wietecha you may remember from the 50's. Dave "Hawg" Hanner is actually qualified as both a coach and a player this decade, but we'll have him on hand as a coach. The 4-3 Green Bay runs is fairly standard. An NFL Films clip about the 1966 season stated that the Packers blitzed their linebackers the least out of any team in the league, largely due to the immense success of their defensive line. That's not to say the Pack uses a conservative umbrella on pass defense; they can and sometimes do blitz when the moment calls for it. With a few exceptions, defenses in this decade tended to have more balanced secondaries; by that I mean the safeties had similar responsibilities. The left safety may have had a role in covering the tight end or an extra receiver on their side, but they weren't the box-thumping strong safeties just yet. The Offensive Lineup: The overall roster is 40 players. By the end of the decade there was an additional inactive list of seven players, but I'm just going to ignore that part. If I can't suit them up for the game, then they don't count. Starting Quarterback: Bart Starr- 1966 -6'1 197. Green Bay Packers: 1956-71http://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/images/1967-19-bart-starr.jpg It's probably fair to say that he's not the best Quarterback of the decade; there's Johnny Unitas to consider, and Sonny Jurgensen is considered the best pure passer of his time. But unlike the 50's, the principal connection between a Head Coach and his Quarterback takes priority. That and the many championships. That sounds ludicrous for a team sport, but the Quarterback position, whether fairly or not, is labeled an automatic leadership spot, and for an All-Time team, you must have a leader and a champion at that position. That removes Jurgensen, who never sniffed championship glory(had Lombardi not died in 1970, that might be a different story), but the connection between Lombardi and Starr overrides any positive speculation about Unitas and Lombardi. It wasn't always so. By '59 Starr was thought of as a reasonable backup, not someone with the spine to lead the team to victory. Lombardi didn't think so either, trading for Lamar McHan to start under center. Having already dodged one bullet(1st Round draft pick Randy Duncan of Iowa, who fled to Canada rather than play in Green Bay), Starr had an up-and-down next couple of years. By the end of 1960, however, he had taken the top spot for good and having taken to Lombardi's discipline better than most(he had a Military father for an upbringing), he finally showcased his own steel on the gridiron. Starr was probably hands down the most capable of dissecting opposing defenses. His arm strength and his mobility were rather pedestrian, but his intelligence and technical skill were top notch, and it showed in the statline. He had the most seasons with a sixty percent completion percentage and by his peak in '66 made few mistakes(only three interceptions in the season). He also threw more than you'd think he did; during the time when Lombardi was Head Coach, Starr only failed to throw for two-thousand yards in two seasons(the three-thousand yard threshhold was only starting to be breached). Most importantly, that proficiency translated into key playoff and title games, where he only had one miserable game('62, played in a cold and miserably windy day in New York. Nobody threw well that game). Starting Halfback: Jim Brown- 1964(Off-Position) -6'2 232. Cleveland Browns: 1957-65http://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/images/1963-1027-Jim-Brown-NLC_05200.jpg Starting Fullback: Jim Taylor- 1961 -6'0 214. Green Bay Packers: 1958-66/ New Orleans Saints: 1967https://cdn-s3.si.com/images/Neil-Leifer-1966-10.jpg ...wait, what? There's lots of wasted text about which was the better fullback. Most are dismissive of Taylor, noting how devastating Brown was in the running game. Others are rabid that Taylor was the better team player and some of them even argue that he stung defenders much harder than Brown ever did. It's one of several positions where the debate is so fierce that it can lead to an agonizing decision. Which one do you choose? I say [BLEEP] that, I'm taking BOTH. Everything that made Jim Brown a frightening weapon at fullback is not lost in translation to halfback. He's just as strong, just as fast. And when he has the ball he's running just the same, including having a lead blocker in front of him. However, we are putting to the test the idea that Brown can work under Lombardi. This will require him to willingly give up touches to be a blocker, more than occasionally. He'll have to be part of a team system and not just the star. Supposedly he did re-focus on his blocking during the 1964 season, the last time the Cleveland Browns won a title, though the overall numbers don't really show it. Thankfully this is for a small number of games rather than a whole season. Taylor meanwhile is a meat-tenderizer, a guy who is a punisher on the inside runs and is adept enough to run as a blocker or a carrier on the sweeps. He's significantly less complicated and will be a prized asset on the short-yardage situations. His peak wasn't as large; after '62 his numbers dropped significantly and by the time he left after '66 Green Bay was already trying to replace him by drafting Jim Grabowski(you don't know the name, largely because he didn't pan out). During Green Bay's immortal '67 season, Taylor had come back home with the Expansion New Orleans Saints, who were typically hopeless as expansion teams tended to be. But for a key three-year stretch he was Brown's near-equal. Starting Split End: Charley Taylor- 1969 -6'3 210. Washington Redskins: 1964-75, 1977http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/washington-hall-of-fame-wide-receiver-charlie-taylor-runs-a-pass-in-picture-id81741928?s=612x612 Starting Flanker: Paul Warfield- 1969(Slightly Off-Position) -6'0 188. Cleveland Browns: 1964-69/ Miami Dolphins: 1970-74/ Cleveland Browns: 1976-77https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/s-wide-receiver-paul-warfield-of-the-cleveland-browns-in-action-a-picture-id98289494 My working consensus is that Split End and Flanker are largely interchangeable if you're working with elite talent. In the days of the bump-and-run, you tended to put your more vulnerable players at flanker, giving them a few precious yards of separation to work with, while the split ends were typically those who could either take the punishment or could elude defenders at point-blank range. In this case, both Warfield and Taylor were split ends for their respective teams, but we're placing Warfield at flanker largely because it fits with the offensive strategy Green Bay was using during the Super Bowl years. Before 1965, the Packers utilized Boyd Dowler at Flanker and Max McGee at Split End. It was somewhat interchangeable; both were used as blockers with somewhat equal skills in the passing game, though McGee got a bit more yards per average. But when McGee went into decline, Lombardi traded for Rams wideout Carroll Dale. Dale was an underrated talent for his era, a speedster. He was placed at flanker due to him being a bit smaller than Dowler and was used as a deep threat. In this scenario, Warfield has the deep threat skills and Taylor is the all-around wideout. Both are also the best known blocking wideouts of the player pool, a necessary talent in a Lombardi offense. They're not limited in what side of the field they play on either. The common conception is that Split Ends play on the left side and the Flankers on the right, naturally because of how the formation is always diagrammed. The truth is, the receivers could play on whichever side and at times could swap sides in order to exploit a vulnerable cornerback in the opposing secondary. Defenses were still rigid and required to cooperate with each other to such an extent that switching defenders around was a sure recipe for disaster, so a vulnerable cornerback couldn't just be hidden against a comparatively ordinary receiver; the more dangerous threats would be switched over to him and make him sink or swim. Warfield's blocking chops elevate him over a long list of home run threats(Bob Hayes, Homer Jones, Del Shofner, etc.), but he wasn't purely a vertical burner. His cuts were fantastic and made him especially dangerous when actually running routes. He studied the strategies utilized against him by opposing defenses and would make adjustments accordingly, so he's highly teachable, though he might be coming into a less advanced system than in Cleveland, which he personally described as "greatly advanced in terms of the theory in pass pattern execution and pass pattern running". Taylor has Warfield's cutting ability with maybe a little less speed. He's just as dangerous, especially once he has the ball. He came into the NFL as a running back, but was entirely raw and undisciplined. It wasn't until he was shifted out wide that he really started to come into his own. He has a plus in that he spent a year with Lombardi in '69, so he knows what to expect and should respond accordingly. There are some slight concerns; he relished being an enforcer on the field, which might be a negative at times. Sonny Jurgensen also said that he'd occasionally drop a pass and he'd come right back at him because he couldn't let him get down on himself, which is probably a smaller concern than I'm making it out to be. Guys like Dowler and Dale are underrated, but we're not bothering with the connections between a quarterback and his receivers. I don't see Starr struggling to connect with any of these guys. Or his tight end. Starting Tight End: John Mackey- 1965 -6'2 224. Baltimore Colts: 1963-71/ San Diego Chargers: 1972http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/football-baltimore-colts-john-mackey-in-action-rushing-vs-dallas-md-picture-id82064235?s=594x594 With the era of the Pro-Set came the era of the Tight End. You were either a third tackle who might catch a pass or you were an oversized end who might throw a block. Mackey was really the first to go beyond the 'established' limits of the position. His hands weren't all that great(he did a lot of catching with his chest), but that was the lone flaw. He was strong and enthusiastic enough to be a devastating blocker for his position but it was his breakaway speed that was never seen before at his position. He didn't just attack the 'seam' between the opposing safeties, he tore it wide open. If he got into the open field it was game over, but there was no guarantee you could bring him down even if you brought the house with you. I watched a highlight clip of a game between the Colts and the Lions and when he caught a pass I could've sworn I saw the entire defense on the screen converging on him, and he just bounced off of all of them! The one negative he may have with Lombardi is that he knew what he wanted and would go all out to get it- Ordell Braase once told a story that one time Mackey went to [Head Coach] Don Shula's office after practice, and he was dressed up in a suit and had his lawyer, a physician, and a few other suits with him as an entourage. Supposedly Lombardi traded Jim Ringo just for showing up with an agent to discuss his contract, so this would've been significantly worse. Thankfully, that's not a situation we have to worry about in this scenario. Starting Left Tackle: Jim Parker- 1961 -6'3 273. Baltimore Colts: 1957-67http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/quarterback-johnny-unitas-of-the-baltimore-colts-sets-up-to-pass-the-picture-id89546447 Left Tackle- really, the left side in general- is a miserable place to sift through candidates. That's largely because the accolades at this time kept going to the right side. The best of the bunch tended to toil in anonymity when on the 'blind' side of the Quarterback, a trait that wouldn't really end until the passing game was elevated into the stratosphere in the 80's and the notion of elite pass blockers at Left Tackle became a thing of renown. Even the list of guys who would be considered for the spot aren't described in any really glowing terms. Well, except for one. Jim Parker was shifted over to Left Guard by 1962, but before then he already had the reputation of being the finest Left Tackle in the league. By wide margins. Accolades come easier when you're protecting the blindside of Johnny Unitas, who at that point was hands down the most prolific passer in the league, but Parker added more to it by just being so dang elite at his job. As he put it, "Coach came up to me and told me 'did I like steak?' I thought he was crazy- I said 'h*ll yeah, I liked steak!', he said 'see that man over there? That's Johnny Unitas, and if you protect him we all eat, if you don't, nobody eats.'" He basically had the full package. Size, power, nimble feet, quick hands, excellent smarts. Not just a powerful drive blocker on the run, but the best pass protector in the league. His shift over to Left Guard was really him filling a hole that had developed over there, and then a Left Tackle by the name of Bob Vogel(one of the top contenders) came along to hold down the tackle spot. Nothing to do with diminished ability. He'd be hands down the best choice at Left Guard(and he was the last time I tried this), but now I'm placing an emphasis on his blind side protection. Starting Left Guard: Gene Hickerson- 1965(Off-Position) -6'3 248. Cleveland Browns: 1958-60, 1962-73http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/guard-hene-hickerson-of-the-cleveland-browns-leads-the-blocking-for-picture-id84059181?s=594x594 Gene might be interchangeable with Jerry Kramer in terms of skills- Kramer prospered as a member of the Packers during this decade and was incredibly well thought of despite making it to the Hall of Fame eleven years after Gene did, while Hickerson had less notoroiety because Cleveland only won one title during his career, putting him in a lesser light. That said, Gene was Jim Brown's leading blocker, then he was Leroy Kelly's leading blocker. Those are some dang good accolades, though not enough to unseat Kramer at their natural position, but his overall skills should be enough to transfer him over to Left Guard and give Kramer an admitted upgrade for a pulling partner on the Power Sweep. It's not as simple as it sounds. Going to the right, the left guard has to pull at a seemingly faster speed and create an inside seal, while the right guard can go right over the cornerback and create an outside seal. This is of course switched around if you go left(and the sweep DID go both ways), but Kramer never really had a problem as a pulling guard. In truth, neither did Fred "Fuzzy" Thurston, but in terms of upgrades, he was always the most vulnerable of the Packer linemen of this era. Last time, he was replaced straight up with Jim Parker. Now it's Hickerson. The lone worry is that Hickerson had a reputation as kind of a joker and con man. The 'con' part came in his effort during practices and in pre-game warm ups. Basically he attempted to avoid working too hard and in warm ups would just stand around the goal post and watch the team warm up. The speculation is he worked hard on his fitness on his own time, but the problem is would such antics really slide with Lombardi? The man was a a good judge of character, but he demanded discipline and did not play favorites. Maybe Gene would pack in such sly behavior with major stakes on the line. Starting Center: Jim Ringo- 1961 -6'1 232. Green Bay Packers: 1953-63/ Philadelphia Eagles: 1964-67https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/american-professional-football-player-jim-taylor-of-the-green-bay-picture-id53323992?s=594x594 Between him and Mick Tingelhoff, Ringo knows the Packers system and he makes it work. Centers at this time were still not really removed from their earlier days of also playing Linebacker in one-way football, as such few of them reached 240 pounds in weight. Ringo's 232 is an exaggeration; he was closer to 220, but his quickness proved ideal for cutblocking either the onside defensive tackle(if the play goes right, onside is the 'left') or the middle linebacker depending on his choice. By the first peak of the Green Bay dynasty, Ringo was the ideal player for Center. The story of Ringo being traded because he brought an agent to contract negotiations is one he himself says is not true. The true story probably comes down to old age and an uncomfortable new defensive wrinkle making life miserable for the aging center. Centers playing in the 230-pound range thrived on the transition from a five-man line to a four-man line, as the defensive tackles fought against the offensive guards, leaving the center to either move upfield and engage linebackers or help double-team a lineman. Eventually, defenses started to shift their lines, placing defensive tackles directly over these undersized centers. Ringo, even more undersized, clearly started to struggle. This is probably also why Lombardi tried in '64 to shift his left tackle, Bob Skoronski, to Center; while also highly intelligent, 'Ski' was around 250 pounds and could handle defenders head-on. Problem was he didn't have the quickness to make the running game go, so that project was scrapped. To this day, the demands of the position usually put a center a number of pounds lighter than his contemporaries but it's a far more equal ground than it was in the 60's. Starting Right Guard: Jerry Kramer- 1966 Secondary Positions: Placekicker(Emergency) -6'3 245. Green Bay Packers: 1958-68https://taylorblitztimes.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/packers-legend-jerry-kramer-feels-drew-brees-has-both-valid-and-inaccurate-points-concerning-retired-players-in-the-nfl1.jpg Starting Right Tackle: Forrest Gregg- 1966 -6'4 249. Green Bay Packers: 1956, 1958-70/ Dallas Cowboys: 1971https://gunaxin.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Forrest-Gregg-560x315.jpg These guys are in a tandem because quite frankly they are the most famous members of the Packer offensive line. They are the strong-side blockers for the team and while they have some competition for their spots, their experience with Lombardi and the Packer system trumps all. It's debatable whether Kramer was the best Right Guard of his time- Jim Parker was certainly a superior Guard overall, especially when pulling on sweeps, and Gene Hickerson might give him a run for his money. A lot of his notoriety tended to come after the '67 Ice Bowl, where he was at least half of the key game-winning block which netted Green Bay their third straight NFL Championship(the Super Bowl didn't count yet), as well as a book of the '67 season he 'wrote' called Instant Replay. The guy wasn't too reluctant to get his own name out after that point, but it's not as if I could blame him. Inexplicably, he was kept out of the Hall of Fame until 2018, perhaps part-politics, part Dynasty Fatigue(too many good players in a dynasty making the Hall of Fame totally shuts the door on the others). The key attributes were that Kramer was the best pulling guard on the Packers and would always at least be top-three in the league overall. He played tough and injured, his worst incident actually occurring in the off-season of 1965 where he had a colostomy that removed wood fragments and slivers that had remained in his body since 1953. This cut out a section of his intestine and dramatically put him underweight but he came back to the team and won back his old job. I should mention the Block. The Ice Bowl, sixteen seconds left in the game, Dallas leading 17-14 but the Packers have the ball on the one yard line. Everyone except for the Packers is thinking pass- only way they'd have enough time for a field goal and overtime. Conditions are brutal; minus fifteen or so degrees, wind chill brought it down to near minus-fifty, in the shadow of the stadium in the late afternoon that could dip as low as minus-seventy(based on old formulas, honestly). The ends of the playing field, end zones in particular, were frozen up, making astroturf feel like a pillow. Kramer lined up across from a Dallas lineman named Jethro Pugh; nowhere near as famous as Bob Lilly, but a large imposing player in his own right. He also had a tendency to play high on the line, as would be typical of linemen around Jethro's 6'6 frame. Kramer finds a miracle amount of footing, practically placing his left foot into a starter block. At the snap, he charges in low and catches Pugh too high. He has all the leverage. Center Ken Bowman helps finish the job now that Pugh has no footing to hold his ground and the hole is just enough for Starr to lunge across for the touchdown. I don't think there's been a lineman before for since that has gained more notoriety from a single block than that. Gregg meanwhile was simply "the finest player I ever coached" according to Lombardi. Much like Jim Parker, there were no holes in his game. Strong, swift, great hands and feet, he was a technical master whom various opposing players(Gino Marchetti, Deacon Jones, etc.) rated as the greatest tackle they ever had to face. And this is without a world-famous block to his name! Well, there was a bit more to it. Not only was he the most consistent blocker on the Packers, there had been times where he had to shift inside and play guard, and did so with equal proficiency, so you know you can plug him in elsewhere. His technical skill came more out of necessity as he learned the moves of his opponents and learned how to combat them. Maybe you could beat him from an athletic standpoint, but he backed up what he naturally had with painstaking development of his skills. The classic definition of a lunch-pail worker. The Defensive Lineup: Much like Tom Landry in the 50's, Phil Bengtson ran the Green Bay Defense. It was exceedingly basic; just a standard 4-3 that did not deviate(I don't imagine teams actually used such sub-packaging like Nickels and Dimes except for the end-of-regulation moments when they are preventing touchdowns) but held down all the fundamentals. Strong all-around pass rush that minded the run, linebackers who could blitz but could also cover, defensive backs who played man-to-man and kept a firm blanket deep. That it worked for five Championships and two Super Bowls gives you an idea of how basic most NFL Offenses were at the time. Formation Innovation would come to the NFL with the merged AFL but until then, this was as good as you got. My perception of Bengtson, like most Packer fans, is colored by his failed stint as Head Coach when Lombardi stepped down. He didn't have the positive aspects of character judgment nor did he have an equal amount of steel in his spine, but then again, we're not looking at Bengtson as Head Coach. As a defensive gameplanner, focused entirely on his role, he was highly functional. The only time in a big game where he and the defense were outmatched was the '66 Championship against Dallas, where the Cowboys brought out all their fancy strategems and offensive theories and kept pace with the Packers until the very end of a high scoring game that almost went to overtime. The catch comes with the players. The Packers could field eleven starters at their peaks and not have a true weakness to exploit, just maybe a handful of players who could be upgraded. And there are plenty of individual upgrades in the NFL, but those players will have to mesh with the Packer defensive style(unless Bengtson is much more flexible than circumstances permitted), and this will lead to a great many agonizing choices for specific spots. Starting Left Defensive End: David "Deacon" Jones- 1967 -6'5 272. Los Angeles Rams: 1961-71/ San Diego Chargers: 1972-73/ Washington Redskins: 1974https://i.ytimg.com/vi/arbTzFwUsyI/maxresdefault.jpg We start right off the bat with an agonizing decision between the Deacon and Willie Davis. It's not about athletic ability- Deacon ran at a 4.6 clip and was probably a good rung or so above Willie in the other physical categories. It's simply about style. It seems unfair to claim that Deacon never so much as tried to defend the run, but in reality he always pushed for the quarterback and in theory teams could run at Deacon due to his constant over-commitment(only his teammate, who we'll get to, kept this from becoming a problem). It was more the Ram style of defense as utilized by George Allen than anything else, but Allen gave Deacon an incredible amount of freedom for his position. This had good and bad traits, for it made Deacon the most lethal pass rusher of the decade by far... but you have to wonder if the Rams could have snuck their way to a title or two had they adopted a more disciplined approach. Nevertheless, that dominance on the line was too much to ignore. Deacon(who came up with the nickname to distinguish himself from thousands of 'David Joneses') had a move that while he didn't invent, he sure perfected; the Head Slap. It was outlawed in the seventies, but for a time it was a formidable weapon. Try this for an experiment. Put on a football helmet, then go find the burliest guy you can get your hands on, then tell the most scathing insult you can come up with(a 'mom' joke would be my recommendation). Repeat if he tries anything other than slapping you upside the head(seek medical attention first if any real weaponry is used). Assuming you are not concussed(and if you are, how are you reading this coherently?), did you notice what happened when his hand made contact with your helmet? You blinked. Involuntary blinking. Kind of a flinch. If you were blocking, that would throw you off. Even if you were an elite tackle it would throw you off just enough for Deacon to blast past you, and perhaps it would intimidate you for the rest of the game. (Bob Brown, a tackle for the Eagles and the lone competitor for Forrest Gregg's spot, put in sharper screws in his helmet so the sharp edges would stick out and catch Deacon's hand if he went for the slap). Make no mistake though, his is a high-risk high-upside selection simply because Deacon was not directed to play in a specific way and the Green Bay defense makes a big demand in discipline. Either Deacon adjusts, or Bengtson adjusts. But someone's got to meet the other half-way first. By the by, he coined the term sack; "Sacking a quarterback is just like you devastate a city or you cream a multitude of people. I mean it’s just like you put all the offensive players in one bag and I just take a baseball bat and beat on the bag." Starting Left Defensive Tackle: Merlin Olsen- 1967 -6'5 270. Los Angeles Rams: 1962-76http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/defensive-tackle-merlin-olsen-of-the-los-angeles-rams-in-action-the-picture-id98499612 Here's how Jerry Kramer described Olsen just before a pivotal playoff matchup in '67; "very big, very strong, has great speed, great agility, is a very smart ballplayer, gives at least 110 percent on every play." The catch was he was(tongue-in-cheek) describing his weak points. This is the teammate who covered for Deacon and permitted him to rush the QB on virtually every play. He would keep up his pressure but would guard the area around him and prevent the 'sucker' plays that would otherwise be the standard means to play against Deacon. But even if Deacon were somehow bumped off the roster Olsen would still be the top-rated player at his position and would be able to do anything and everything asked of him. He would have been absolutely beloved on the Packer defense. In fact, he easily played the sort of role that Dave Hanner and Ron Kostelnik did, only dialed up to eleven because of the Fearsome Foursome's "all out" philosophy. He also would double as a rather insightful commentator during the late 70's and 80's, so you may see his name again during those decades. Starting Right Defensive Tackle: Bob Lilly- 1966 -6'5 260. Dallas Cowboys: 1961-74https://cdn-s3.si.com/images/Bob-Lilly-017062442.jpg The original "Mr. Cowboy." Lilly turned out to be the first ever draft selection by the Dallas Cowboys, and was worth the pick. Like Olsen, this is a no-brainer, even with competition in the form of stalwart Packer Henry Jordan. He was every bit the complete package that Olsen was, just with a vastly different role. Landry's Flex defense was primarily based on gap defense; a gap being the space between offensive linemen. When beforehand players simply responded to the ball and flowed towards it, the Flex had defenders stay their ground in their gap assignments. This was worthwhile when it came to defending the run as the unit could not be caught flatfooted from any trickery on the ground. The defensive line had two separate 'staggered' alignments that depended on which side of the line the tight end lined up in. If the TE was on their right, the RDE and LDT would be off the ball, or a couple of yards from the line of scrimmage. If the TE was on their left, it would be the LDE and RDT. These two alignments were based on where Landry predicted which side the offense would run on. In a manner of speaking, each lineman had to learn a multi-dimensional role thanks to those alignments. Lilly was no different. What really helped him was his excellent quickness and strength, which made him extremely difficult, if not impossible, to block. There might be some worry in that he would have to learn a whole different defense than what he was used to(you'd think learning a more basic defense would be easy, but...), yet Lilly's certainly capable of excelling regardless. Starting Right Defensive End: Doug Atkins- 1963 -6'8 257. Cleveland Browns: 1953-54/ Chicago Bears: 1955-66/ New Orleans Saints: 1967-69http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/pg-photo/2012/11/01/0ap2000000088835_gallery_600.jpg I went back and forth on this one. Last time around I went with Atkins mainly because he was a destructive force and nobody else really stood out on this side of the ball. The same problem that plagued the left side of the offensive line occurred here; the accolades were on the 'strong side'. Then this time I started finding tidbits about his training camp antics and the like and got so bothered by them I put in somebody else(George Andrie of Dallas) because I was reasonably sure all the stuff Atkins did would ruffle Lombardi something awful. Maybe he'd see past the pet Bulldog. But his track record with practice was spotty and he was perfectly capable and willing to tell his own coach to 'go screw'. In the 60's that was George Halas himself. Halas did nothing- because frankly Atkins was too big and too independent to control. I found all that perhaps a bit too much for Lombardi to handle. But he did interact with the coach. He was on two Pro Bowls with Lombardi and was the first recipient of the Vince Lombardi Dedication Award- presented by Vince himself. Then I started to do that thing I sometimes do where I waffle back and forth, starting to put more faith in Lombardi's ability to get the most out of people, even those who might be troublesome(but much more faith in Atkins being so dang destructive on his end). So here we stand, and I really hope these two can get along. There were other bits; he would instigate and slur Jim Parker and rile him up and get into his head. He once fired a shotgun in a dorm during Training Camp(with the Saints). He was apparently involved in dog fighting. Let's just stop there before I waffle back to not selecting him, and just assume he'll be on his better behavior for the crucial game. Doug was six feet and eight inches, a high jump champion with a basketball background. I say this because that height and that ability permitted him to literally vault over opposing blockers that tried to stop him. He didn't do it as much during the 60's with his advancing age, but even then he was a monster to handle because he could still move and he was still horribly strong. He was probably the strongest 'thrower'(taking the blocker's momentum and throwing him in that direction) in the 60's just by his freakish size alone. Granted, size makes it easier to be hit low, and a legal move was to 'cut' him(go for his legs to bring him down), but the funny thing was teams tried their hardest not to do so. The reason was Atkins was brilliant even when only half-motivated, but if you got him angry... well, there was plenty of times where a veteran lineman would tell a youngster to never make Mr. Atkins angry, otherwise he would kill the youngster, and then kill the veteran who had to block him that day. One time a young runner for the Vikings cut block him, so Doug picked him up, brought him to the Vikings huddle, and told Fran Tarkenton he would kill him if he got cut blocked again. He made a pre-game threat to Paul Hornung once over cut-blocking because his legs were in a sub-par condition, and Hornung actually obliged. If you didn't listen to the warnings and crossed him, then you got the supremely motivated Doug Atkins, who would toss you about like he was King Kong and you were just a prop plane to be stomped on. Starting Left Linebacker: Dave Robinson- 1967 -6'3 245. Green Bay Packers: 1963-72/ Washington Redskins: 1973-74https://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/51/files/2014/02/superBowl1.jpg During the 60's, the Left Side of the Green Bay Packers defense was considered the best in the league. Individually there might be those who could beat out Willie Davis, Dave Robinson, and Herb Adderley, but not all three as a unit. There isn't an equivalent of Deacon Jones at Left Linebacker to justify taking Robinson off the starting lineup, though there are strong contenders(Chuck Howley and Dave Wilcox). The Green Bay Defense, like the dynasty itself, had two peaks during the 60's. There were a number of players who started during the first run of titles and then the three-peat, but more players than you think only partook in one half or the other. Historians of the Pub Trivia variety probably know of the defense that won the first two Super Bowls, but probably assume players like Robinson, Bob Jeter, Lee Roy Caffey, Lionel Aldridge, played through the entirety of Lombardi's reign. Untrue, none of those guys listed were there for the titles in '61 and '62. They came after, eventually replacing the veterans who did play during those years. Robinson gets marks for being one of the first black outside linebackers in the NFL(It would take the merger for the barrier to be broken for Middle Linebacker), but flat-out earned his position. Granted, he got onto the team mainly because they needed a Kickoff Specialist(Hornung was suspended, Jerry Kramer didn't have the leg strength) and Robinson had those duties while in College, but still. One can argue that Howley was better in coverage and Wilcox hit harder and was stronger at shedding blocks. Robinson had equal speed to both and was strong in both the ground and in the air. He also had the reputation for big game performances. During the '66 NFL Championship with Dallas at the one-yard line threatening to send the game into overtime, Dave exploited a Tom Landry brain fart(Bob Hayes, a track star explosive weapon, was kept in to block him) and forced Don Meredith to throw a pathetic wobbler that was intercepted. He was also part of another incident a week prior to that in a playoff game against the Baltimore Colts. Leading 14-10 near the end, Green Bay was reeling, trying to prevent Johnny Unitas from charging down field. The Colts got to the Packer 15, where Unitas took what looked to be a pass play and began dashing up the field. Alas, Willie Davis caught up to him and stripped away the ball, which was recovered by Robinson. The lone complication comes from the very reason Robinson is selected; The left side is incomplete, thanks to Deacon Jones. Robinson had a very cooperative tandem going with Willie Davis, often switching positions and responsibilities in order to confuse blockers. Not only is that effective wrinkle gone, Dave now has to compensate for Deacon who most likely will play the same way that he did with the Rams, leaving a crease between the two. Starting Middle Linebacker: Richard Butkus- 1965 -6'3 245. Chicago Bears: 1965-73https://sineilleifer.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/5029.jpg?w=960 Alright, picture this; it's the 4th Quarter, 4th down and goal to go. The crowd is large, loud, the atmosphere is so thick you could hack it with a machete. The weather is lousy; mud, rain, you name it. A touchdown wins the big game. You're in the backfield, the play is yours to execute. You wait for the cadence, your heart is hammering in your chest because god knows how many hopes and dreams rest on your shoulders, your eyes thankful for the large keister of the fullback in front of you, otherwise your jackrabbit eyes would be darting all over the place. You forget how you got here in the temporary insanity of the moment, you only know your job. The ball is snapped, everyone in front of you rockets forward and so do you. Bodies collide. Your quarterback is a blur as he rams that tough ol' pigskin into your ribcage and your arms hold on for dear life because the humiliation of a fumble here would make a man pray for the depths of aitch-ee-double hockey sticks to open up and swallow him whole. In just a split second, those big burly hogs in front of you have forced open a hole to the endzone- just the blank wall of the stadium and the screaming masses in the stands lay before you. You get maybe an instant to realize; holy [BLEEP], you're actually gonna do it. You're gonna win the freaking ga- And THIS jumps right into your facemask at the last second;http://i1280.photobucket.com/albums/a499/HistoricSportsPhotos/Job 1 B/DickButkusinyourface.jpg ([BLEEP]in' watermarks...) ...now that we're back to reality and you've had a chance to clean your drawers, that's what it was like for any ballcarrier to try and run the ball against Butkus. There were ferocious players at the Middle Linebacker position before him(Ray Nitschke), and afterwards(Jack Lambert)... but Butkus was the golden standard. Nobody else matched him. He was a maniacal hitter who dealt crushing blows to whomever had the hall. Odds are most of you have seen a highlight video of crunching hits made by Butkus, some of which would make you wince even in this modern day. That's not to say he was a one-trick pony. His mobility was excellent from sideline to sideline. His ability to cover the passing game was of an extremely high quality. He performed the expected role of signal caller on his defenses. He had a fantastic ability to just rip the ball from the carrier as he was crushing him. Even his hitting style was more carefully planned than mindless- it was an intimidation tactic, meant to rattle the nerves of those ballcarriers and receivers later on in the game. The one part that gets less mention above all else is his playcalling, largely for lack of information and for an overall defensive ineptitude at times. It's easy to assume that was due to a lack of talent surrounding him, and at any rate, the Green Bay system is very basic in nature and with excellent players surrounding him, he can thrive. Granted, this was an agonizing choice between him and Nitschke(who ran Green Bay's defense for most of the Lombardi dynasty and was a very close second during the decade), but I can't see us ditching Butkus. The more learned people might wonder why we're going with rookie Butkus rather than '69 Defensive MVP Butkus. The Newspaper Enterprise Association award was rather reputable because it polled players rather than the pundits, and it's quite the honor to be given that award despite your team going 1-13 during that season(no joke). It really comes down to his knees. Butkus underwent preventive surgery to his right knee prior to the '71 season, only to suffer a complication, a second surgery, then a lingering condition which plagued him for the next three years until he retired. The problem is he first injured that knee in high school, tearing some ligaments. Essentially he played with a 'loose knee' ever since then, strong muscles compensating for the injury. Another tidbit was that by '69, he was taking two shots of hydrocortisone in his knee every week, indicating that the wear and tear was starting to get to him. There's no real evidence that as a rookie Butkus was unprepared for the grind of the NFL either, giving the impression that he was highly coachable as well as extremely talented. Starting Right Linebacker: Chuck Howley- 1969 -6'3 228. Chicago Bears: 1958-59/ Dallas Cowboys: 1961-73https://i.pinimg.com/originals/eb/ce/fd/ebcefd361beb3edfd6ba37283bce96bd.jpg The only Super Bowl MVP whose team lost their game. It's probably the one tidbit people know of him, if they know of him at all. Then again, Super Bowl V was a lackluster affair that lacked scoring and was swallowed up by both defenses. Had it not been for a last second chip shot, this may have been the first Super Bowl to go to overtime. Small wonder that they gave the MVP award to a defensive player(or anyone outside of quarterback for that matter). Dave Wilcox and Maxie Baughan were the primary contenders for this spot. All of them were superb players with no real holes to speak of, but Howley had a greater ability to defend the pass(Paul "Dr. Z" Zimmerman said he was one of the two best cover linebackers he ever saw, the other being Jack Ham). His speed was exceptional- he could run a 4.9 at 35 years old, which was really dang good for his age- and he could blitz and play the run as well as anyone. He also wasn't a prisoner of the Dallas scheme, having alternated between the "Sara" and "Wanda" positions during his career. Replace the names with "Sam" and "Will" and you get the gist of the terminology. To this date, Howley is one of the largest remaining omissions from the Hall of Fame. Starting Left Cornerback: Herb Adderley- 1966 Secondary Positions: Kick Returner(Alternate) -6'0 205. Green Bay Packers: 1961-69/ Dallas Cowboys: 1970-72http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Pk49mVrUKD0/TF9sHxfufxI/AAAAAAAADI0/UCSvGjIB_eA/s1600/adderley+return.jpg Lombardi's Left Side comes into play again as other noteworthy corners, including Night Train Lane, just couldn't overcome that particular connection. The truth was, Adderley was intended to be the next Lenny Moore on offense; he had been a standout running back at Michigan State, only there wasn't a chance of him unseating Jim Taylor or Paul Hornung in '61. He only saw the field on defense twice during that season; one to sub in for an injured Hank Gremminger, and then another in garbage time during the '61 Championship. Two times, two interceptions. Next season he was starting at cornerback and the rest is history. Herb was really the complete package. He was an excellent ballhawk with the speed and fluidity to keep with his target and the ability to hit hard(though not on Lane's level). While the Bump and Run was starting to gain traction, Herb was not a proponent of it, preferring to play off of the receiver. He could do this because his athleticism helped him recover if he were ever to be beat and his anticipation was top-notch(Landry called him the best "cluer" ever, but that's more of a backhanded compliment from him). His team play was second-to-none, though it's easy to get that reputation when you have excellent teammates to rely upon. His athleticism turned him into a big-play corner, turning any interception into a potential pick-six. '66 Adderley is ideal to fully solidify this part of the secondary but it does diminish the role he can play on Special Teams. '62 Adderley was a far more dangerous returner and Edge Blocker. Starting Left Safety: Mel Renfro- 1969(Off-Position) -6'0 190. Dallas Cowboys: 1964-77https://i.pinimg.com/736x/e9/f1/5c/e9f15c01cd32c643f8d3429790a150c2.jpg Once the Pro-Set became standard in the NFL, the 4-3 began to develop specific roles for the two safeties in the secondary. Owing to the cliche of the "strong" side being on the Offense's right because that's where the Tight End is traditionally lined up in diagrams, it usually fell to the Left Safety to help cover the Tight End or move up in run coverage. The Right Safety, on the "weak" side, usually did not have those concerns, and was free to roam the field as a sort of center-fielder. This eventually lead to the terms Free Safety and Storng Safety. Anyway, the Left Safety was typically left in the lurch when it came to accolades; by far the most noteworthy safeties were always playing on the defensive right. The Green Bay system could afford to be more 'balanced' in this regard, mainly because of the presence of Davis and Robinson on the left. This could jam up the tight end enough to make covering that man easier(covering a Tight End is a different animal from a Wide Receiver mainly because of the size). Even in this lineup the odds of the Tight End breaking out are going to be hard, not only because of Robinson, but because said Tight End may be forced to double-team Deacon Jones a lot more than one would want. This frees the secondary to have two ballhawks operating in the secondary. Renfro gets the nod over guys like Larry Wilson and Eddie Meador by his own athleticism. Like Adderley, Renfro was a star on offense in college. He was also an excellent track star at the collegiate level and was timed at 4.65 in the 40 yard dash. Landry put Renfro on defense, largely to bolster that side of the ball. It turned out to be a boon, as Renfro locked down the secondary as a safety in the 60's, and then transitioned over to cornerback in the 70's. Typically, defensive backs would go the other way during their careers, owing to degrading reflexes and athleticism. There are some question marks as to how hard he plays and whether he can handle the run from this new position, but we can plan for that in the bench section. Starting Right Safety: Willie Wood- 1966 Secondary Positions: Punt Returner(Alternate) -5'10 190. Green Bay Packers: 1960-71https://static01.nyt.com/images/2016/02/05/sports/05PLAYWOOD1/05PLAYWOOD1-master675.jpg Wood played quarterback in college. USC, in fact. That he wasn't drafted as a Quarterback or even thought of as one might be a matter of racism, but it's more likely it was because he was under six feet and ran a run-heavy offense at USC. He just didn't have the arm at the Professional Level. Still, he wrote to Vince Lombardi asking for a try-out. The Packers signed him as a Free Agent, and he would switch over to defense and spend two quality years learning under the tutelage of Emlen Tunnell, who went with Vince to Green Bay. By '62 Wood was ready and he began to dominate. Okay, if you have a dynasty as your foundation, it helps if you can put the finest leaders of your Sub-Units in the lineup, as they can guide those who come from other teams and help them mesh faster. However there is a catch; you want such leaders to be of a talent level on par with the best in the league. Much like Tunnell for the 50's squad- sort of- Wood inhabits the same role. He's more likely the designated center-fielder, or he covers the defensive right(depending on how well Renfro does). Wood lacks any real holes(maaaaaybe height and not-elite speed) and can hit which really helps against the run. He, like Adderley, had a younger version that could be really useful returning punts and blocking kicks(he had a fantastic vertical). Starting Right Cornerback: Jimmy Johnson- 1969(Off-Position) -6'2 187. San Francisco 49ers: 1961-76https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C8Sed0dXsAAI-BT.jpg There seems to be a running theme here. Johnson was enough of an offensive star at UCLA(he played both ways) that the 49ers tried to utilize him in the offense, but a broken wrist put him on defense, and after a second season as a receiver, then a third at safety, he finally got placed at cornerback, where he found his niche. By the way, this is not the future Dallas coach. Athletically smooth and error-free(a trait that would REALLY be appreciated by Lombardi), Johnson became an early example of the term "Shutdown Corner". These are the guys who merit excellent accolades, whether from players or from awards, but their interception numbers are rather sub-standard. Interceptions themselves are very flimsy barometers of excellence in pass defense, largely because it only showcases the turnovers at the expense of everything else. A cornerback who is among the league leaders in interceptions could be one of the best in the league... or it could be because he's thrown to so often because he has more holes in his coverage than swiss cheese and is burned for lots of touchdowns. In Johnson's case, his numbers were down because of an interesting phenomenon; opposing quarterbacks rarely threw into his area. Even this can be smoke and mirrors. A shutdown corner might develop his reputation simply because his fellow secondary members are sub-par and far easier to torch, then if they go to a stronger team they might be picked on more often and become exposed. That said, guys like Kermit Alexander and Abe Woodson played alongside Jimmy during this decade, and neither of those two are considered mediocre. I'll take my chances with Johnson being legit, as he solidifies this secondary. The Bench: Eighteen spots left. We need to discuss the Special Teams. We're about to witness the dawn of a new age, where benchwarmers can actually start to gain notoriety for their work on the suicide squads of their day. Thing is, it's just not here yet. While kickers and punters did double-duty on offense or defense back in the 50's, that practice ended by the late 60's once roster limits were extended, turning them into pure specialists. Returners were almost always starters, as were any other notable players such as the kick blockers and long snappers, typically because the starters were often the most talented players on the roster. This creates a rather... unique situation for this All-Decade roster, as the potential exists to utilize a strategy that just hasn't arrived. Backup players can be utilized on special teams, as the talent level gap is not as immense as it would normally be on a regular roster. That means you could stash a handful of players purely for their special teams skills, especially the returners and kick blockers. Placekicker/Punter: Don Chandler- 1965 -6'2 215. New York Giants: 1956-64/ Green Bay Packers: 1965-67https://greenbaybobfox.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/don-chandler-punting-vs-the-colts-in-baltimore.jpg Initially when Free Substitution arrived, Kicking Specialists only kicked- regular players often remained the punters. Eventually dual-role kickers started to emerge, guys who could handle both aspects of booting the pigskin. Eventually, even the regular players were replaced by pure punters, thanks to the evolution of the game and the widening of the roster. It would've been easy to get a pure kicker and a pure punter with a roster of 40 players, but the truth is we want as many active players as possible to contribute on other ends. Alas, the regular players who could kick had undergone serious declines around this time and would soon be dinosaurs. Still, there were a small collection of guys who kicked and punted, and did both solidly enough that we'd only have to sacrifice one spot instead of two. Chandler is not the best at either of his craft. Kickers like Jim Bakken and Fred Cox, or Punters like Bobby Joe Green or Tommy Davis, all were superior to him, but then, that's not by much of a margin. At his best, Chandler was as reliable as any of them, only a defensive end named Lou Michaels achieving anything superior at long range(six made attempts from beyond 50 yards, but only a 20% success rate). From within 40 yards he could boot the ball through the uprights. As a punter he was serviceable(though oddly getting the HoF All-Decade nomination at that spot), managing a ninety-yard boot at one point. His background prior to the pros was as a running back, allowing him to once in a while pull off a fake and run for yardage. By comparison, Tommy Davis excelled as a punter, especially in the horribly windy confines of Kezar Stadium, but was very spotty as a placekicker. Sam Baker was an equal kicker but was losing steam in his punts as he fell into old age. Of the dual-threats, Chandler was the most balanced. He could also pull through late into winter and during the playoffs. As much as we emphasize having good, stable conditions for these games, it's always nice to know that your kicker is good in truly bad weather. In fact, there will be a considerable emphasis placed on where a kicker kicks during his career. It's not an automatic dismissal if he were to play down south or even in a dome, but it does raise questions as to whether he could kick in the rain or the snow or the driving wind. Backup Quarterback: Christian "Sonny" Jurgensen- 1969 -5'11 202. Philadelphia Eagles: 1957-63/ Washington Redskins: 1964-74https://i.pinimg.com/originals/eb/65/95/eb659519edf9697158f5444d25cadace.jpg That picture. That's the reason for this selection. Backup QBs on All-Time Teams are iffy. We've gone over this last decade. The ideal thing is to have someone who stepped in as a backup but has actually been to the big dance and won it. Going with a pure starter is problematic because that tends to cause headaches; there's a "QB Battle" no matter what you say to diffuse the situation. But at the same token, a pure backup is usually a backup for a specific reason or several, meaning their ability to run the offense is rather suspect. The gold standard for Backup QB is Earl Morrall, but he wasn't so much a bullpen pitcher as he was exploiting opportunities brought on by injuries. That and for the most part he struggled when performing in big games. Last time I just bit the bullet and went with Zeke Bratkowski, a failed starter who came to Green Bay as a backup. Primarily it was his learned knowledge of the system and the multiple times he came in due to an injury suffered by Bart Starr. Things are a little different here. Jurgensen is a pure starter- and in many cases the best passer of his decade- who simply hasn't won enough to justify starting him under these circumstances. He doesn't get too much of the blame; a revolving door of coaches and a general defeatist attitude on his teams contributed. He supplied exciting desperate play and then balanced that with an off-field reputation that wasn't horrible but was rather fun-loving and careless. Then Lombardi arrived in '69, eager to get back into coaching(attempting to just be Green Bay's GM in '68 was a disaster). He would get things off to a fine start with a 7-5-2 record, stabilizing what was a downtrodden franchise. Had he not succumbed to cancer the following year... No matter. One of the key figures he touched was Sonny. He was given the taste of potential victory and ran with it. Amazingly, he was still the league leader in most passing categories(the reputation of Lombardi's team being grind-em-out affairs was inaccurate but pervasive) and was allowed to be himself, provided he pushed in the direction Vince wanted him to go, which was towards perfection and catching excellence. Sonny pushed. He had been mulling retirement before Vince arrived(he was turning 35), and frankly, afterwards he hung on for another five years. Lombardi truly believed that Sonny was great. Probably the best. He also claimed that the Packers would've never lost a game with Sonny, which is unproveable hyperbole, but still. For the distinct lack of big game experience, Sonny's time with Vince is the key factor to having him around as a backup. He can work with Vince, and Vince(even if three years before his time) can work with him. It's not as if the gameplan would be altered if you were to sub Sonny in(I am fairly certain Lombardi did not drastically alter his playbook while in Washington, rather he re-worked the details to better fit his personnel, which he's going to be doing for this team anyways. I also don't believe there will be waves between Starr and Jurgensen, largely because Jurgensen is advanced with age, and had a remarkably affable relationship in the 70's with his competition(Billy Kilmer) during the George Allen years. Backup Halfback: Gale Sayers- 1965 Secondary Positions: Kick Returner(Primary), Punt Returner(Primary) -6'0 198. Chicago Bears: 1965-71http://galesayers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/gale-sayers-running-bears.jpg Most(nearly everyone) would have the starting backfield be Jim Brown and Gale Sayers, which is understandable. Both are unstoppable dynamos in their own right. Problem is, there's only one ball. Jim Brown can block and may willingly block, but it'll be a chore. Gale by contrast is an unknown as a blocker... because, really, why would you ever not give him the ball? So we have Jim Taylor and Jim Brown in the starting lineup, but then we have the "Kansas Comet" as the first sub off the bench. There's some slight issue about mileage. Gale's stats and overall usage dropped some since his rookie year. Then again, they did make use of him as the feature back and probably wanted to reduce the wear and tear, so they took him off of Punt Return duty, utilized him a little less in the passing game(or it was just bad QB play), and tried not to overwork him. Then a free knee injury occurred in '68. He came back in '69 with a slower step(extremely noticeable given how blazing fast he was beforehand) but won Comeback Player of the Year honors with a 1,000 yard season. Then the left knee went and that was all she wrote. There's no evidence he had a problem with his knees before '68, but we want as little mileage on his legs as possible, which is why we're taking him as young as possible and utilizing him more like a secret weapon. He replaces either Brown or Taylor and wrecks havoc with his elite speed and elusiveness on the ground(Bart Starr once wrote in a Football how-to book that Gale was so fast off the snap he completely disrupted his timing in Pro Bowls). He's such a threat in the open field as a receiver that one could conceive of a wrinkle where he is lined out wide or in the slot. And in the return game, you'd have better luck catching a cheetah. Backup Halfback: Paul Hornung- 1960 Secondary Positions: Placekicker(Alternate) -6'2 215. Green Bay Packers: 1957-62, 1964-66http://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/images/1961-1203-Paul-Hornung-017024262.jpg You really cannot put together a team that utilizes the Lombardi Sweep and not use this guy as one of the runners. Hornung's short career(derailed by ineffectual coaching for the first two years, a year suspended for gambling, and finally a shoulder injury) combined with his lackluster stats would make anyone think this was one of the weaker Hall of Famers(at least one person claims he is the least deserving member), riding the coattails of the Lombardi dynasty in a skill position. The truth of the matter is his utility was vital to the attack for that illustrious first peak of the dynasty. Vince saw him as another Frank Gifford(whom he utilized extremely well in New York), and for the most part that turned out to be the case. He wasn't a blazer in the open field, but unlike Brown and Sayers he was incredibly patient and selective in his runs. He kept behind his blockers, let them set up their seals, and ran to the offered daylight. Probably the best-known blocker out of the Halfback position(largely because the system demanded it), Hornung had surprising strength, enough to actually make him a feared inside runner(though not Taylor's equal). His receiving skills were more of the 'safety valve' variety than the 'dangerous weapon' variety, but he could still be counted on clutch third down plays. In addition to all of that he was a competent kicker before his suspension, making him viable insurance. And like Gifford, he was lethal with the Halfback Option(he was actually a Quarterback at Notre Dame). The man was a bit of a playboy(heh, 'bit'), but endeared himself to the coach in a way that almost seemed like a surrogate son. The suspension was what really did in Paul's career and for a two year stretch really put a giant dent in the Lombardi dynasty. Apart from a renaissance moment late into '65 Hornung would never come back to his early success. Even so, the early version of Hornung checks too many boxes to not include. It's also quite possible he'll be a useful contributor to Special Teams as a backup. Backup Fullback: John Henry Johnson- 1960 -6'2 210. San Francisco 49ers: 1954-56/ Detroit Lions: 1957-59/ Pittsburgh Steelers: 1960-65/ Houston Oilers(AFL): 1966https://i.pinimg.com/736x/b4/c2/f2/b4c2f2b15dd839c46a11fe4dc7f7701a.jpg For all the reasons we listed in the 1950's. Elite Blocker, extremely vital on Special Teams, emergency contributor on defense if need be... what's left to say? Backup End: Gary Collins- 1965 Secondary Positions: Punter(Alternate) -6'5 215. Cleveland Browns: 1962-71https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/football-nfl-playoffs-cleveland-browns-gary-collins-in-action-vs-picture-id650517210?s=612x612 There's a temptation to just slot Packers in the backup spots. They know what it takes to win, they've won enough that ego may not get in the way, and it greatly eases the level of transitioning such All-Time teams need to perform great together. Even so, outside players can still slip past if they have an attribute that the Packers they are competing against do not. Take Collins. Let's compare him to Boyd Dowler or Max McGee. Collins has the height of Dowler, with a comparable set of receiving skills(Collins would get the best of Herb Adderley more than most wideouts, and Herb agonized over it, claiming he was like Dowler but not as good). Collins also has a good reputation as a blocker, as does Dowler(otherwise how would he remain in Green Bay?). The key factor is punting. We want insurance if anything happens to Chandler. Dowler and McGee alternated at the spot before Don came along, neither gaining much merit. In fact, a washed up Jerry Norton had to be signed in '63 to take over the punting duties. Collins meanwhile was the main punter for Cleveland during his career, giving much-needed stability at the spot. Gary was almost always number two as a pass target, thanks to Paul Warfield. Still, he gained a reputation as a big play receiver and could be all kinds of tricky. That's good for a backup. Backup End: Max McGee- 1960 Secondary Positions: Punter(Alternate) -6'3 205. Green Bay Packers: 1954, 1957-67https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4294/35801768462_3cb9b4c98a_o.jpg Well, we should at least have one receiver whom Starr is familiar with at the wideout positions. Boyd Dowler, Max McGee, or Carroll Dale. Of the three, Dowler's probably the more complete player, while Dale's the swiftest. But Max has the better intangibles. As far as Max is concerned, the memory of him typically begins and ends with the first Super Bowl. A benchwarmer during the season, McGee had broken curfew the night before the game and gone out into Los Angeles to pursue the nightlife. So he was hungover when the game started but figured he wouldn't need to get in. Well, Dowler gets hurt after the first few plays, and poor ol' Max gets thrown to the wolves. He catches two touchdown passes for the day and is the team's breakaway performer. His first touchdown is a thing of beauty. Cutting into the middle of the defense, Max actually has to reach out behind him in full stride because Bart uncharacteristically missed his throw. Max still catches it, slipping away from a lunging Chief cornerback and outracing the rest to the end zone. It's easy to forget that he had a long career before that game. For the first peak of the Lombardi Dynasty, McGee was the closest thing the Packers had to a breakaway threat, putting together a rock solid yards-per-catch rating and in '60 surpassing 20 yards. He was more sneaky-fast than sprinter-fast, but he largely got his way through intelligence and mental gymnastics. As Jerry Kramer put it, Max would notice something the defender that was covering him doing something, then set him up several times with specific moves, and then out of the blue fake that move and exploit the defender. He had an innate understanding of the situation and what routes would work best. I don't even think it's a risk using '60 McGee rather than the old '66 McGee because Max was already 28 by the time the 60's started and should've already learned everything he could've before that time- well, except for blocking. He had to learn blocking. The other intangible was his loose presence. If there was a king of the ice-breaking quips, it was Max. Here's some dialogue involving a team meeting where Lombardi was so mad at his team he promised they were going to get a hard course on the fundamentals. He brought a football with him. "Gentlemen, this is a football." "Slow down Coach, you're going too fast!" That even cracked Vince up. Backup Tight End: Ron Kramer- 1962 -6'3 234. Green Bay Packers: 1957, 1959-64/ Detroit Lions: 1965-67http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/football-green-bay-packers-ron-kramer-in-action-attempting-catch-vs-picture-id151887346 Mike Ditka claimed that Kramer "had no peer" as a blocker. That's a heck of a thing to say coming from the best or second-best tight end of his era, depending on what you think of John Mackey... but it's kind of bad news for Ditka who was easily the better receiver between him and Kramer but was fairly smaller(Kramer could actually reach 250 pounds yet still move). That and with backup tight ends seldom seeing the field except on the bomb squads(the term for Special Teams back then), it's easier to see why Kramer has a little more value. Ron needed a few years to get his act together. Mostly it was the year spent in the Armed Forces that stalled his progress. Then he spent '60 in the doghouse after running the wrong route in a key play that led to a bad defeat. But by '61 he got everything in order. He described his position as a "loose tackle" and could block as such, actually taking on the defensive end by himself, if not seal out a linebacker instead. He wasn't a lumberer with pressed hams for hands either; he could break out into the open(again, not as well as Mackey or Ditka) and catch the tough pass. In fact, had it not been for a personal decision(he requested a trade to Detroit purely because he felt he needed to be closer to home and his family) his career might have been extended enough to truly be Hall-of-Fame worthy. Backup Tackle: Bob Skoronski- 1966 -6'3 249. Green Bay Packers: 1956, 1959-68https://greenbaybobfox.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/bob-skoronski-blocks-for-jim-taylor-in-the-1966-nfl-title-game.jpg (#76) As far as the Green Bay Offensive Line is concerned, Left Tackle might as well be a Black Hole. Nobody ever talks about the Left Tackle. Most don't even know the name of the guy. Apart from a single Pro Bowl in '66, the only accolade Skoronski got was the position of Team Captain in '64. And according to most on that team, 'Ski' was as stable a blocker as Forrest Gregg. He was so well considered that Lombardi tried him at Center after Jim Ringo got traded. Bart Starr evidently had enough confidence in his performance to say Skoronski deserved to get into the Hall of Fame... and that was back when Jerry Kramer was still getting screwed! Skoronski's intelligence and lunch-pail attitude are perfect for the backup tackle spot, which typically had to play both left and right. Backup Guard: Fred "Fuzzy" Thurston- 1966 -6'1 247. Baltimore Colts: 1958/ Green Bay Packers: 1959-67http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/003/198/002/44744c76040e2a64ceca3c35efc68104_crop_exact.jpg?w=1500&h=1500&q=85 Common consensus is that Kramer was a better pulling guard than Fuzzy. Common, including Vince Lombardi, but not universal. A detractor to the narrative is Pat Peppler, who served as the Player Personnel Director for the Packers around this time, commenting that "Fuzzy had a little jump step that got him going a lot faster than other guys.” Lombardi did laud his quickness and his ability to execute the short-trap, and there is enough debate that Fuzzy may have been the better pass blocker of the two. He was also a rather positive type of character, and team-oriented; When Fuzzy went out for the season in '67, he went to work coaching up his replacement, Gale Gillingham. Ideally, we have him filling that same role for Hickerson, but if need be we can swap Fuzzy in for the complete experience in the Packer Sweep. Backup Center: Bob DeMarco- 1967 -6'2 248. St. Louis Cardinals: 1961-69/ Miami Dolphins: 1970-71/ Cleveland Browns: 1972-74/ Los Angeles Rams: 1975http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51IGwuuEDmL._SY445_QL70_.jpg Bob's really here because of his size. We mentioned this with Jim Ringo, but most centers were too light to take on defensive linemen when playing directly over them. DeMarco played at a heavier weight than most centers of the time, and had enough of a hidden pedigree to justify bringing him on as a potential remedy to that particular problem should it be needed. He was part of an underrated-yet-middling St. Louis team and almost tasted Super Bowl glory with Miami, only to lose his spot to Jim Langer in the '72 preseason and be traded to Cleveland. Them's the breaks. Backup Defensive End: Willie Davis- 1966 -6'3 243. Cleveland Browns: 1958-59/ Green Bay Packers: 1960-69http://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/images/87-Willie-Davis-077909430.jpg Backup Defensive Tackle: Henry Jordan- 1966 -6'2 248. Cleveland Browns: 1957-58/ Green Bay Packers: 1959-69https://i.pinimg.com/736x/b3/58/f6/b358f6ddec7205d00f7b7ae0f22dc7a5.jpg This twosome represents the backbone behind the starting defensive line. If you factor in Team Play, Willie Davis rates as a more complete defensive lineman than Deacon Jones. A strong passrusher in his own right, Davis was also a stalwart against the run and was thought of as a genuine Team Leader. The funny thing was Davis spent the first two years of his career in Cleveland, where he was juggled around between offense and defense(he had been a two-way star in Grambling, so this wasn't a lark by Paul Brown), and it wasn't until he was in Green Bay that he was solely a defensive lineman. He was one of several gems found in Historically Black Universities, but he earned an MBA from the University of Chicago in '68 and parlayed that into a successful post-playing career in business. In fact, he was one of the finalists considered for the position of NFL Commissioner in '89. Alas, Deacon is far too destructive to unseat at the natural position on the Left Edge, leaving Willie to back up both edge spots. Henry Jordan was an equal to Davis in terms of pass rushing, and he was also part of a trade fleecing involving the Browns. There are better pass rushers(Alex Karras perhaps) and there are some better suited for stopping the run(Roger Brown), but nobody claims that Jordan was a pushover at the point of attack, though he's described as a quick slashing pass rusher. It's viable that he's got the best balance of the contenders. Backup Linebacker: Ray Nitschke- 1962 -6'3 235. Green Bay Packers: 1958-72https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/s-linebacker-ray-nitschke-of-the-green-bay-packers-chase-down-a-los-picture-id78198306 So what do you do when you have the key defensive play caller and quite possibly the most renowned defender on a Dynasty, and he's only second-best on the All-Time team? There's really not a single attribute that Butkus has that Nitschke doesn't. Quickness, strength, smarts, ferocity... all of it. Nitschke in his prime had no weaknesses. It's just that his peak skills were just behind those of Butkus. Nevertheless, the problem caused a headache for me last time around, and my solution was daffy; I put Nitschke at Middle Linebacker to run the Green Bay Defense, then slotted Butkus in at Right Linebacker. The time before that, I didn't even include ANY Packers on the team as a sort of challenge to myself. My solution came from the progression of Nitschke's career. Ray was a troubled youth in childhood(attributed to losing both parents early on), and those troubles were still hounding him by the time he was drafted by the Packers in 1958. It took until 1962 before Ray would become the de facto starter at Middle Linebacker, those prior years spent not only growing into the responsibilities of playing linebacker at the professional level, but also calming his inner demons. Lombardi also understood by that time that you couldn't have Ray run under a complex system, that it was better if he ran on instinct and let the game come to him. Granted, Ray could be tricked and schemed into serious trouble(as Dallas showcased during the '66 NFL Championship), but all in all, Nitschke was the premiere Middle Linebacker until Butkus showed up. Prior to '62, what Ray was actually known for was being one of the finest "Bomb Squad" players in the league, exploiting his natural skill and aggressiveness to great effect. So Nitschke's the lone defensive Packer that doesn't come from '66 but from '62, where he has a full year as the starter under his belt(good for being the backup), but also he's only a year removed from his prior role on special teams, so he hasn't lost very much of what made him excellent there. Backup Linebacker: Maxie Baughan- 1967 -6'1 227. Philadelphia Eagles: 1960-65/ Los Angeles Rams: 1966-70/ Washington Redskins: 1974https://nflpastplayers.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/maxie-baughan-55-rushing-bob-berry-17.jpg Typically in the 60's, it was the Middle Linebacker's job to call the plays on defense. Maxie was a rare exception when he joined the Rams, as he primarily played outside linebacker. The claim always was that Maxie "played linebacker with the mind of a coach," but that probably wasn't really true until he was paired up with George Allen. Make no mistake, Maxie's one of the top contenders at linebacker for his play alone, winning the NFL Championship with Philadelphia in 1960 as a rookie, and until the end of '65 was one of the defensive lynchpins. He was clearly enough of an independent thinker to rattle the Eagles coach at the time of the trade, Joe Kuharich, who was in the middle of trading away his core. According to a Sports Illustrated preview of the '66 Eagles, Joe "does all the thinkin'" for the team, and those who think for themselves are out the door. His coaching career flatlined in '68. But back to Maxie. While clearly a competent and intelligent ballplayer, he attributes much of his success with the Rams to George Allen, who would study game film with Maxie and fill his head with all sorts of football knowledge. This was probably when he truly earned his accolades. Allen thought so highly of Maxie that he tried to trade for him in '71 when he was the new Coach of the Washington Redskins. Maxie retired instead. Allen finally got him in '74, four full years after his last season, purely as insurance for Chris Hanburger and as an unofficial player-coach. Having a third defensive play-caller around without overloading on Middle Linebackers is a definite plus. Backup Cornerback: Abe Woodson- 1961 Secondary Positions: Kick Returner(Secondary), Punt Returner(Alternate) -5'11 188. San Francisco 49ers: 1958-64/ St. Louis Cardinals: 1965-66https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51nOmRaCewL._SY445_QL70_.jpg If Gale Sayers was the elite returner for the second half of the 60's, then Abe owned the first half. Quite simply, he's the idea return partner that keeps kickers honest. He's also seemingly underrated as a corner. Interception numbers are low, but that was largely due to his sprinter-speed and expert agility. He would blanket his man to the point where Quarterbacks wouldn't try throwing to him. Apparently he was also exceptionally good at the Bump-and-Run, which was disrupting receivers in their routes through physical contact. He also had some experience playing safety on and off, which is a nice utility to have. Backup Cornerback: Richard "Night Train" Lane- 1961 -6'1 194. Los Angeles Rams: 1952-53/ Chicago Cardinals: 1954-59/ Detroit Lions: 1960-65https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c_RFWXB3QF8/WPOdDAzUMdI/AAAAAAAAMlU/tWXK5Q9vA2sAiFhYOoaLzABqJBvO_v_oACLcB/s1600/2017-04-16_10-32-24.jpg (The hit that outlawed the facemask grabbing) At this point, there's virtually no reason not to select Lane again. Nobody left is as skilled at the corner as he is, though some have intriguing attributes of their own. Night Train's main hangup will be getting over the inability to grab the facemask(he did get over it, but we can't use the years after '61 for various injuries- except for '62, where he had appendicitis just before the Pro Bowl but played through it.) Lombardi's Left Side prevents Night Train from starting at Left Corner, but you could perhaps insert him at Right Corner(where he would be a more destructive and hard hitting player than Jimmy Johnson). He's also still a reasonably kick blocker on the edge, which is extremely helpful given how nearly everyone else is aged out of that role. Backup Safety: Richie Petitbon- 1963 -6'3 206. Chicago Bears: 1959-68/ Los Angeles Rams: 1969-70/ Washington Redskins: 1971-72http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/439b3f1df63567d2d161c17ca15bf35ef89504f1/c=226-0-1987-1324&r=x393&c=520x390/local/-/media/2015/08/26/Nashville/Nashville/635761980154297757-Bears-Rams-44.JPG Here's an archetype for you; the solid football player who is overshadowed by his future self, a longtime coach of renown. In Richie's case, a quality career is swallowed up by his time spent as the Defensive Coordinator for the Redskins in the 1980's. This tends to reduce the available tidbits about the actual playing career, leaving a lot of maddening vagaries. It could be worse; the player in question could have a horribly common name, or a name shared by a more famous person from some other walk of life. Richie hits the cliches of leadership and intelligence, but he's really here for a specific reason. While the ideal safety arrangement for this team consists of two equal rangers, there does exist a time where you simply need a legit 'strong' safety to work against the Tight End and get into the box against the run. Richie's one of the few genuine Left Safeties with the size and the reputation that didn't peter out during the course of the decade. That he played for George Allen's defense with the Bears and was thought of highly by Allen to the point where he was acquired for his teams twice is also a major bonus. The Discarded: The growth of teams in the NFL means there are significantly more players to sift through. As a result, there are more players that merited some degree of consideration than usual. Grab a drink of choice and put on some tunes; this will take a while. Here is the list of Quarterbacks besides Bart Starr who won NFL Championships this decade; Norm Van Brocklin in '60, who promptly retired afterwards. Bill Wade in '63, an otherwise solid strong-armed passer carried by an excellent defense. Frank Ryan in '64, a highly intelligent passer who actually played under Lombardi in '69 as a rarely-used backup at the end of his rope(Lombardi greatly valued his approach to analytics; yes, this was a thing back then, and made extensive use of him in this regard). Earl Morrall in '68. Finally, Joe Kapp in '69; a CFL star lured back into the states by Minnesota(they traded away Fran Tarkenton). Ryan I would rank the best of this bunch, with his analytics an enticing wrinkle, had injuries not reduced him to a shell of his former self by the time this aspect made itself known. Morrall is thought of as a Super-Sub, but really he was a middling starter who crested with two excellent teams during his career thanks to injuries to the incumbents. His lackluster performances in Super Bowl III and V were further detriments to him. Johnny Unitas tops the list, but bad luck and poor surrounding talent kept him from further Title Glory in this decade. Where do we start? Getting shut out by Cleveland in '64. Getting injured in '65 and watching his team get eliminated. Fumbling the ball in a crucial last-chance drive against the same team that eliminated him a year ago in '66. Having an excellent year in '67 but pushed aside thanks to Divisional Alignments. Getting injured in '68 but this time putting up a futile relief effort in Super Bowl III. He wouldn't win another title until 1970, by then nearing the end of the line. Who else amongst the non-winners deserves mention? There's Y.A. Tittle, who got to the championship three straight years with the Giants but could only score seventeen points altogether. Dandy Don Meredith became Landry's Quarterback(thanks to Staubach serving in the Navy) and got to the NFL Championship twice during this decade, losing out both times. The masterfully elusive Fran Tarkenton, who toiled for expansion Minnesota until they traded him to New York(don't worry; he'll be back) then went to the Super Bowl without him. Or Roman Gabriel, who stood in the pocket and took all kinds of abuse without folding, but couldn't get anywhere near a championship. Or John Brodie, who some people consider the predecesor to Joe Montana in San Francisco... except for not winning anything. Brodie did have the Shotgun, devised by Red Hickey in the very early 60's that worked for a bit... until it was shut down by blitzing. Leroy Kelly easily tops the list of backs for one key reason; he took over the Cleveland running game after Jim Brown retired, then posted equal numbers to Brown in subsequent years. Unfortunately, everyone picked instead of him had something specific to offer; Kelly was a Halfback's version of Jim Brown. Someone who did deserve mention was Ernie Green, who blocked for both Brown and Kelly and played either Halfback or Fullback. Versatile and useful, but then again, John Henry Johnson was still the greater blocker of the two. Timmy Brown had the misfortune of being under the shadow of Gale Sayers, otherwise he would've been useful as a speedy halfback who returned kicks(Timmy Brown and Ernie Green were actually cut by the Packers before catching on with other teams, as was Alex Hawkins, the "Special Teams Captain" for the Colts). Lenny Moore had been converted to a pure Halfback position, but was reduced enough that he failed to overcome the finalists. There were a few bruisers at fullback; Bill Brown of Minnesota and Nick Pietrosante of Detroit at the forefront. None of them could beat Jim Taylor, and they didn't have anything else to offer. The lone name to mention is Tom Matte, a good utility back that would otherwise be lost in the noise except for a crucial game in the '65 Playoffs. The Colts were without Johnny Unitas or his backup(Gary Cuozzo) and Matte was inserted as the emergency QB in the game. The Colts fell to the Packers, but Matte did the best he could with what he had to work with(including an wristband that had key play designations written on it. Lots of receivers got the short end of the stick, mostly to do with a lack of knowledge about their blocking ability. Of the non-blockers, Bob Hayes stands out the most, by virtue of having been an Olympic Gold Medalist. Most would think he jumped from the track to the NFL, but that's not entirely true; he got into Florida A&M on a football scholarship. But he was unrefined before Tom Landry got his hands on him. Hayes was so fast he forced defenses to play zone coverage and attempt to bump him at the line of scrimmage. There were some key problems about Hayes. The first is, he wasn't utilized on the Goal Line. Landry didn't put him in during those moments... except for a crucial last play against the Packers in the '66 Championship, lining him up tight against Dave Robinson. He didn't block Robinson, instead going out. The resulting interception killed the Cowboys that year. The second occurrence was the Ice Bowl, where Hayes was defeated by the cold to the point where he telegraphed plays; he only took his hands out when the ball was coming to him, otherwise he stuffed them inside his pants while he ran. Nitpicks to be sure... but those have a habit of turning into eyesores. Other speed demons like Del Shofner and Homer Jones didn't have the explosive capacity of Bullet Bob and were easier to disregard. Flankers like Tommy McDonald, Bobby Mitchell, and Jimmy Orr fell for the same season. How about the actual blockers? That would be those like 1950's selection Raymond Berry, who couldn't compete with Paul Warfield or Charley Taylor in terms of ability, didn't have the punting of Gary Collins, or had no team connection like Max McGee did. Ditto for Detroit Lion Gail Gogdill, one of the most underrated players of the decade. Or even Roy Jefferson, a man whose physical talents would have placed him a close third to Warfield and Taylor, but again, he didn't have the connections or extra skills to merit selection. The necessity for high quality blockers also extended to Tight End as well. Mike Ditka was easily the hardest exclusion, simply because he was the only one who could come close to John Mackey's playmaking ability. In the end though, we went with the greater blocker for the backup spot. Guys like Jackie Smith(you probably only know him for his dropped touchdown pass in the Super Bowl in 1978), Jerry Smith, Pete Retzlaff, and Jim Gibbons. They simply weren't strong enough blockers to be considered despite their varying degrees of catching competency. The candidates for the line went through the buzzsaw of the Green Bay Packers(plus Jim Parker). Left Tackle saw the most hopefuls, with Richard Schafrath the front-runner of what's left, followed by aging yet still agile veteran Rosey Brown. Guys like Bob Vogel and Grady Alderman were labeled as 'undersized', but that was in the context of the modern game, seemingly. None of them were really under 250 pounds, which was about the average for Tackles in that day. Still, neither of them offered the experience with the Packer system like Bob Skoronski did. Left Guard ended up full of just-missed candidates(Jim Ray Smith, Tom Mack) and mediocre candidates, but one name stood out; John Wooten. A decent enough guard whose main selling point was pulling and blocking for Jim Brown(the reason Gene Hickerson was selected), and apparently being a trusted friend of Jim's. At center everyone else is overshadowed by Mick Tingelhoff, a man who may have been the equal to Jim Ringo and slightly heavier at that. Problem was he too struggled with linemen placed over him, which made using him as a backup a bit unviable. Of the ones that actually reached 250, there were guys like Greg Larson of New York and Dave Manders of Dallas, but they seemed to come out as average blockers. Ken Gray leads what's left of the Right Guards, an elite talent that was actually cut by the Packers before the horrible '58 season. Gray lost out to Hickerson(who blocked for Jim Brown) and Fuzzy Thurston(knowing the Packer system). John Gordy would be the other guard worth a mention, but is much more 'meh'. Bob Brown leads the Right Tackle candidates and had he not gone against Forrest Gregg would've been a clear-cut choice. He was just a powerful athletic marvel who could bulldoze opposing players rather than contain them. Guys like Ralph Neely and Ernie McMillan deserve mentions for either their longetivity or their technical skill. An unsung player of note is Walter Rock, a favorite of Pro Football Journal contributor TJ Troup. Basically Rock during his heyday had to contend with a "who's who" of elite defensive ends(Deacon Jones, Willie Davis, Gino Marchetti, Carl Eller), and made enough of a name of for himself to get into the Pro Bowl in '66. Defensive Line saw a lot of names left out. The left end saw the twilight years of Gino Marchetti and the emergence of one of the Purple People Eaters in Carl Eller, a man who unfortunately had to be rated a close third to Deacon and Davis. Jim Katcavage is another unsung talent that was pretty good for the first half of the decade with the Giants. Lou Michaels was an otherwise average lineman who doubled as a kicker(notable because he was the most consistant kicker from beyond fifty yards, though only at a 20% clip). Bubba Smith didn't qualify but his size and natural talent forced consideration regardless. Alex Karras lost out to Henry Jordan, but by very little. Again, it all came down to the Packer System(given how plain the defense was, this seems laughable) and Jordan's experience as one of the key cogs. Charlie Krueger is one of the 'very good' candidates that plugged along and was worth a word or two. Roger Brown was hands-down the best candidate for a run defender(and perhaps better suited for replacing Merlin Olsen), again losing out to Henry Jordan for the same reasons Karras did. Same goes for Rosey Grier, who would go on to have an equally illustrious career outside of football during this decade. We'd be remiss if we didn't mention latecomer Alan Page, the guy who truly made the Purple People Eaters of the 70's an elite outfit. Contrary to popular belief, Page didn't start out as a stringbean. His weight would narrow and narrow during his later years until he was an unfathomable 220 pounds, a weight in the interior that would've been appropriate forty years prior! Right Edge is a hodge-podge of solid yet unremarkable players, like George Andrie of Dallas, and Lamar Lundy of Los Angeles. Jim Marshall might be the best strictly for his leadership role, even though everyone remembers the time he took a fumble and ran the wrong way for a safety(remember I mentioned that in like the 30's?) There's just a ton of remaining candidates at Middle Linebacker. You had the old guard well represented in Joe Schmidt(who lead a really strong early 60's Lions Defense), Sam Huff(who lost some reputation when he was traded to Washington), and Bill George(who ultimately was sent packing once Butkus arrived). The lone remaining qualifier worth noting is Lee Roy Jordan of Dallas, who had to marshal a unit that ran Tom Landry's Flex Defense but was otherwise a distant contender to Butkus and Nitschke, to say nothing about the old hats. The remainder were just-missed candidates; Atlanta's Tommy Nobis, who might've been equal enough had a third spot for a Middle Linebacker been available, and Baltimore's Mad Dog Mike Curtis, who was more notable in the early 70's. Another unsung player is Dale Meinert of St. Louis, an underrated guy(according to John Turney of PFJ) who was left in the shadows during the 60's. The lone True Blue Chipper at Outside Linebacker left is Dave Wilcox of the 49ers. As expressed before, he was mobile and incredibly strong for his position. He was too strong in the upper body and arms to be blocked by most tight ends, let alone backs. But he was slightly limited, having fewer interceptions than the contemporaries who made it in. He was more of a hard hitter and a pass rusher. He was also a player better known in the early 70's though he qualified here. After that, it's a bunch of experienced and serviceable veterans: Joe Fortunato and Larry Morris of Chicago, Jack Pardee of the Rams, and Wayne Walker of Detroit(who also doubled as a mediocre kicker but long-snapped for Jerry Kramer at Idaho University). Dan Currie, Bill Forrester, and Lee Roy Caffey are from the Packers. Of the three, Forrester was the most experienced and the most reliable, the lone knock being an overall lack of mobility. The lone just-missed guy who merits consideration is Chris Hanburger of Washington, who became another of the early 70's stars and was the play-caller of the Redskins' D. Cornerbacks are plentiful, but they just failed to measure up. Some like Cornell Green and Erich Barnes had excellent skills all-around but couldn't unseat Adderley, Johnson, or Lane for a spot. Green was an excellent edge blocker on kicking teams and transitioned to saftey in the 70's for the Cowboys but was the shut-down corner for the team in the 60's. Erich Barnes was basically a Half-Dollar version of Night Train Lane in terms of size and hitting prowess. Athletic shortcomings were more pronounced when compared to the finalists. Bobby Boyd of the Colts was the interception leader for the decade and thrived in the Zone Defense system put together by Don Shula. His intelligence was fantastic. The problem was his lack of top-end speed; there was some thought of playing him off-position as a safety but ultimately a spot couldn't be found. Pat Fischer was barely five foot nine and wasn't known for blazing speed, but he made up for it by being one of the fiercest proprietors of the Bump-and-Run. Richard LeBeau is overshadowed by his coaching days, but was picked on an awful lot while with the Lions for a simple reason; Detroit liked to red-dog their Right Linebacker a lot, and that left him on an island. He racked up lots of interceptions despite that. He was known more for his durability and was highly capable in run support. Dave Whitsell was similar but he also doubled as the greatest edge blocker ever on kicking teams. I am not sure just what enabled him to block 21 kicks in his career. Moxie perhaps? Trouble was he wasn't elite enough as a corner to justify his selection. The lone just-missed guys warranting a word are Lem Barney of Detroit and Bobby Bryant of Minnesota. Plenty of Safeties too. Larry Wilson played Free Safety and lacked top-end range, but still racked up lots of interceptions and pioneered the Safety Blitz. He was extremely hard-nosed and once played a game with both his hands in casts. He still picked off a pass in that game. Let's see some rich boy do THAT in today's game. Even so, Wilson lacked that range you want for a game like this. Eddie Meador had better range, though he was a bit of a gambler at times. In the end he couldn't overcome the potential of Renfro, or the necessity of Petitbon. Meador did double as a dangerous kick holder(because he could run the ball on a fake kick), but that was a luxury that we could live without to some extent. Same goes for Paul Krause, who was perhaps the best of the center-fielders, but was especially lacking in tackling and run support. Rosey Taylor is an underrated gem. When PFR permitted 'sponsoring' messages on player pages, there was this about Taylor; "Wood got all the accolades, but Rosey was on all the Training Films." Good praise. Yale Lary was the key man in center field for the Lions in the first half of the 60's and still doubled as an effective punter. Trouble was the need for a 'strong' saftey pushed him out of consideration. Jimmy Patton of New York was much like Jim Katcavage in that he thrived during the early half of the 60's(going to three straight Championship games helped). The lone Left Safety worth any note is probably Jerry Norton, who qualified though he spent his last years in Green Bay strictly as a Punter. Kickers and Punters. Best Pure Kickers are Jim Bakken of St. Louis and Fred Cox of Minnesota. Both were similar as kickers, though Cox offered a wrinkle as the Scout Team's Quarterback during practice. Best pure punter was Bobby Joe Green of Chicago, with some mention going to Bobby Walden of Pittsburgh. Singular Kickers or Punters lost out because of the need for more roster spots for the regular players, though some mention should be given to Billy Lothridge. He was a three-way player at Georga Tech(Quarterback, Safety, and Punter), but ultimately he was just a Punter at the NFL level. He arrived onto the Expansion Falcons and had to lead the league in punting several years because the rule of thumb back then was if you were an expansion franchise, you made like a vacuum with the switch permanently stuck on 'ON'. In '68, Lothridge actually doubled as a safety on defense, grabbing three interceptions and doing this with only one kidney. Lou Groza deserves some mention if only because of his ancient reputation, though by the 60's he lost some of the skills that made him an elite kicker once. Of the dual-role kickers, only Tommy Davis and Sam Baker stand out. Baker's issue was an increase in age started to erode his punting prowess, and his effeciency as a kicker did not improve in the 60's. Tommy Davis was an extraordinary punter, especially in the confines of Kezar Stadium, one of the windiest venues on record. Trouble was he also wasn't all that reliable as a placekicker. Tom Dempsey merits a word or two despite only playing one year, simply because his story is quite unique. He was born without toes on his right foot and fingers on his right hand. Of course he'd end up on the Saints! He had to kick with a modified shoe that some claimed gave him an unfair advantage. Weight problems would eventually bring him down, but not before he achieved an almost impossible record; a 63 yard field goal. Modern kickers today have to have the conditions be just right in order to reach sixty yards flat. Sixty-three yards has been matched only four times and beaten twice(all within the last twenty or so years). Only two of the ties were outside of Denver(where high altitude helps the ball travel further). The Scrimmagers: This will play out like the 40's. Both the NFL and AFL will get a single scrimmage against an assembled team, and will then take each other on in a Best-of-Five series, with the winner taking on the Aliens afterwards. A key problem with these sort of arrangements is ideally you want each league to take on a team that embodies the best qualities of the competing league, as practice leading up to the series. Thing is, the first scrimmage is against what's left over from the remainder of the leagues, and that tends to create issues in talent and playing style(this will change after the merger). The NFL can conceivably assemble a scrimmage team that attacks in much the same way an AFL team would be expected to; with vertical speed and incredible gimmickry. Whether the AFL can respond accordingly remains to be seen. Again, the five-year guideline is removed. Majority of years will dictate the placement of players who played in both leagues this decade but failed to qualify for either. 1960's NFL All-Decade Remainders: Head Coach: Don Shula- 1968 Key Assistant: Don McCafferty- 1968(Offensive Coordinator) Key Assistant: Chuck Noll- 1968(Defensive Coordinator)(Exception) Key Assistant: Richard Bielski- 1968(Wide Receivers) Key Assistant: John Sandusky- 1968(Offensive Line) Key Assistant: Bill Arnsparger- 1968(Defensive Line) Offense: Pro-Set Defense: 4-3 Offense QB: Johnny Unitas- 1967 HB: Leroy Kelly- 1966 FB: Ernie Green- 1966 SE: Bob Hayes- 1968(PR) FL: Bobby Mitchell- 1962(KR) TE: Mike Ditka- 1961 LT: Richard Schafrath- 1964 LG: Tom Mack- 1969 C: Mick Tingelhoff- 1969 RG: Ken Gray- 1964 RT: Bob Brown- 1969Defense LDE: Carl Eller- 1969 LDT: Roger Brown- 1962(Off-Position) RDT: Alan Page- 1969 RDE: Jim Marshall- 1969 LLB: Dave Wilcox- 1967 MLB: Tommy Nobis- 1967 RLB: Chris Hanburger- 1969 LCB: Lem Barney- 1969 LS: Larry Wilson- 1966(Off-Position) RS: Eddie Meador- 1967 RCB: Erich Barnes- 1961(Off-Position)Bench K: Fred Cox- 1969 P: Bobby Joe Green- 1963 QB: Earl Morrall- 1968 HB: Timmy Brown- 1963(KR) FB: Bill Brown- 1968 E: Roy Jefferson- 1969 E: Homer Jones- 1967 TE: Jackie Smith- 1967 T: Ralph Neely- 1968 G: Gale Gillingham- 1969 C: Dave Manders- 1966 DE: Lou Michaels- 1967 DT: Alex Karras- 1962 LB: Lee Roy Jordan- 1969 LB: Don Shinnick- 1967 CB: Cornell Green- 1966 CB: Dave Whitsell- 1967 S: Yale Lary- 1962 We had to make an exception for Chuck Noll, who otherwise qualified for the AFL but we just couldn't find an adequate defensive backfield coach amongst the title winners. Noll was also extremely vital to the '68 Colts and their success as a Defensive Coordinator. There are a couple of names that didn't know up on the discarded list. Bill Brown was a short-yardage thumper for the Vikings, getting the most bang ofr his buck out of all the average line-plungers in the NFL. Gale Gillingham was, according to some, "John Hannah before John Hannah." That's more based on what he did in the 70's, but even at this point he has a little over the remainder of the player pool at Guard. Dave Manders was one of the centers reaching 250 pounds, and had to center for a complex offense in Dallas. Don Shinnick was a pass defender expert for the Colts, though apparently he wasn't all that impressive defending the run. Final Tidbits: Since the Packers were the main dynasty... Stadium Venue: Lambeau Field Training Camp: St. Norbert College(De Pere, Wisconsin) There are bigger stadiums, with greater media access. Phooey to that. Green Bay's as close as you're going to get to a Spartan experience while actually using an NFL Location. Then again, this is mainly for the Scrimmage. This place will be one of the venues for the AFL series, but we'll be traveling all around, just like the 40's. The final game with the Aliens will be in a different location even if the NFL team wins. By this decade, you had either NBC or CBS to choose from for national broadcasts. The NFL switched from NBC to CBS in 1964. There was another newcomer to the scene, though for this case they remained with the AFL; the American Broadcasting Company, or ABC. Television Broadcast: CBS Play-by-Play Commentator: Ray Scott(first half) and Jack Buck(second half) Color Commentator: Frank Gifford Sideline Reporter: Tom Brookshier Up to 1968 the NFL used the same practice as in the 50's; the main commentators for their championship teams would split primary duties between halves. In this case, we're using the '67 format for the Ice Bowl, Ray Scott representing the Packers and Jack Buck representing the Cowboys. These two were apparently so well regarded that they took on singular duties in the next two title games(Scott in '68, Buck in '69) afterwards despite their teams not being in the Championship. The addition of a Color Commentator gave extra life to the broadcasts by providing a second voice to either interject or banter with the primary commentator. That said, actual 'color' in the commentary requires actual skill and charisma, and for a while the process will be hit-and-miss(look at the occasional pratfalls of Monday Night Football for an example). Frank Gifford is reasonable enough for this day and age, having spent the most championship games as the color commentator. The Sideline reporters are about as useful as waxing your unmentionables with a sander, but they have a role so we'll fill them. Tom Brookshier has two out of four NFL Championships in this capacity, so there you go. Again, like the Stadium Venue, this only covers the scrimmage. There will be a shared format for the NFL-AFL Series, and quite possibly the Final Game as well. Next will be the AFL. Duh. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chargers Posted August 19, 2019 Share Posted August 19, 2019 My goodness look at all those words. I can't wait until 2030 when we finally get to the 2000s All-Decade team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zycho32 Posted August 25, 2019 Author Share Posted August 25, 2019 On 8/18/2019 at 8:02 PM, Classic said: My goodness look at all those words. I can't wait until 2030 when we finally get to the 2000s All-Decade team. Hyuk. But in all seriousness, I expect to be working on the 2010's by the end of this upcoming season- which coincidentally will be the last year of the decade. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zycho32 Posted September 14, 2019 Author Share Posted September 14, 2019 The 1960's AFL All-Decade Team: Let's take a moment and discuss all-time rosters for fledgling leagues. The AFL is a rarity not just that they managed to parlay their existence into a wholesale merger with their incumbent competitors, but that they lasted a considerable amount of time before doing so. 'Competing' Leagues typically do not last a decade. Most bomb out after a year or two, maybe a little longer. The history of Pro Football is littered with such leagues; at least two genuinely professional versions of the AFL in '26 and '36, the World Football League from '74 to '75, the United States Football League from '83 to '85, the World League of American Football in the early 90's(which turned into NFL Europe), the XFL, the AAF... just a graveyard of failures. The AAFC of the 40's was a misnomer, practically undone by the overwhelming dominance of its top team but they still managed to get some teams into the NFL. In Professional Team Sports, there are really only three leagues that rose up to any degree of success; the World Hockey Association of '71 through '79, the American Basketball Association of '67 through '76, and the AFL. In all three cases, the leagues lasted for nearly or up to a decade, managed to navigate the typical pratfalls that plague such organizations, and managed to induce some or all of their franchises into the incumbent leagues they competed against. Such leagues have roughly two phases. The first phase is about the first half or so of their existence where the primary contingent are the castoffs; those who can't compete in the primary league anymore, those who played in lesser locations, those undrafted and unwanted. In the case of the AFL, the vast majority of its early superstars had been former NFL players who were either past their prime and had either been benched or gone to the CFL, or they were relative youngsters who never got a fair shake in the NFL. The competitive play ought to be hungry, but it's not too sophisticated; wide open offenses can easily be utilized because offensive players will be easier to scrounge up then defensive players, especially in the secondary. The second phase is when the league starts acquiring top-not collegiate talent. The AFL transitioned into this period a little faster than most thanks to the racial conflicts of its time. The NFL, though progress was being made, was still a bit of a quota-junkie when it came to African-Americans, thus their inclusion was still slow. AFL teams dug deeper, especially into the Historically Black Universities that tended to be overlooked apart from the diamond in the rough. This helped make up for some of the talent gap, but the real impact was when AFL teams could out-duel their NFL counterparts in signing the REAL top choices. Most of you know the story of Joe Namath, but here's a refresher; the NFL and AFL had separate drafts of college players, and since they were competing leagues they did not cooperate with one another. Namath was drafted by the New York Jets 1st overall, but was also drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals 12th overall. It wasn't the draft location that persuaded Namath, it was the contract; Cardinals management balked at a $200,000 demand from Joe; the Jets doubled that offer and made his contract the biggest ever in Professional Football(for a while anyways...). So 1965 should be thought of as the cut-off point between the two Phases. This is important if you want to construct a genuine All-Time Team not of merit, but of functionality. With few exceptions you'll likely be picking from the field of players that competed in the latter half of the league's existence(not unlike how it typically has gone for All-Decade selections to be honest), which is not only when Blue Chip talent was arriving in force but also when defenses had finally congealed and could be formidable in their own rights. To those who have some knowledge of the AFL in this decade, what you read may seem drastically unfair to you, but you have to keep in mind; reality is often unfair. Team Roster- The Cliffs Notes Version: Head Coach: Hank Stram- 1969 Key Assistant: Darrel Brewster- 1969(WR Coach) Key Assistant: Bill Walsh- 1969(OL Coach) Key Assistant: Tom Pratt- 1969(DL Coach) Key Assistant: Tom Bettis- 1969(DB Coach)(Four Year Exemption) Key Assistant: Tommy O'Boyle- 1969(Four Year Exemption) Key Assistant: Alvin Roy- 1969(Strength and Conditioning) Equipment Manager: Bobby Yarborough- 1969 Offensive Style: Hank Stram's Matriculatin' Funhouse(Because what WOULD you call it?!) Defensive Style: 4-3 Triple Stack(3-4 Sub-Package) Starting Quarterback: Len Dawson- 1969 Starting Halfback: Clem Daniels- 1963 Starting Fullback: Carlton "Cookie" Gilchrist- 1962 Starting Split End: Art Powell- 1963 Starting Flanker: Otis Taylor- 1969 Starting Tight End: Fred Arbanas- 1969 Starting Left Tackle: Jim Tyrer- 1969 Starting Left Guard: Ed Budde- 1969 Starting Center: Jim Otto- 1969 Starting Right Guard: Walt Sweeney- 1967 Starting Right Tackle: Ron Mix- 1966 Starting Left Defensive End: Earl Faison- 1963 Starting Left Defensive Tackle: Tom Sestak- 1964(Slightly Off-Position) Starting Right Defensive Tackle: Junious "Buck" Buchanan- 1969 Starting Right Defensive End: Rich Jackson- 1969(Off-Position)(Three Year Exception) Starting Left Linebacker: Bobby Bell- 1969(LS) Starting Middle Linebacker: Willie Lanier- 1969(Three Year Exception) Starting Right Linebacker: George Webster- 1969(Off-Position)(Three Year Exception) Starting Left Cornerback: Willie Brown- 1969(Slightly Off-Position)Starting Left Safety: George Saimes- 1964(Slightly Off-Position) Starting Right Safety: Johnny Robinson- 1968 Starting Right Cornerback: George "Butch" Byrd- 1965 Kicker: Jan Stenerud- 1969(Three Year Exception) Punter: Paul Maguire- 1965 Backup Quarterback: Daryle Lamonica- 1963 Backup Halfback: Abner Haynes- 1960(KR) Backup Fullback: Curtis McClinton- 1966 Backup End: Lionel Taylor- 1963 Backup Tight End: Dave Kocourek- 1963 Backup Tackle: Winston Hill- 1968 Backup Guard: Billy Shaw- 1964 Backup Center: Emil "EJ" Holub- 1969 Backup Defensive End: Jerry Mays- 1969 Backup Defensive Tackle: Ernie Ladd- 1964 Backup Defensive Lineman: Henry Schmidt- 1961 Backup Linebacker: Sherrill Headrick- 1966 Backup Linebacker: Mike Stratton- 1964 Backup Cornerback: Leslie "Speedy" Duncan- 1965(KR/PR) Backup Cornerback/Safety: Dave Grayson- 1968 Backup Safety: Kenny Graham- 1968 The Coaches and Strategies: Personally, this selection is as simple as Vince Lombardi was for the NFL, but the rest of you will need a lesson. There are seven Head Coaches who won AFL Titles during this decade. Three made the Super Bowl, Two won it. The process of elimination starts easy enough. Lou Rymkus coached the Houston Oilers to the 1960 AFL Title, but that was his lone full year as a Head Coach in either league, because he was somewhat inexplicably fired after a 1-3-1 start in '61. Apart from two years as an assistant, that was it for Lou. Wally Lemm replaced Lou as the Oilers coach and won the '61 Title, then left to coach the NFL Cardinals from '62 through '65. He for some reason returned to Houston to coach out the rest of the decade, where he made the playoffs twice in '67 and '69, both times getting dismantled by the Oakland Raiders. He qualified, but his title came in the early days of the AFL and failed to achieve similar success when the league was stronger. Lou Saban won an AFL title but never made the Super Bowl. You might remember him as part of the AAFC team in the 40's who 'ran' the defense like he did for the Browns, only he left his playing career to become a coach. When the AFL was created, he became the inaugural coach for the Boston(now New England) Patriots, but that only lasted two mediocre years before being fired. He found his resurrection in Buffalo, coaching the Bills to two strong seasons before winning the AFL in '64 and '65. He would leave the AFL in '66 for a lackluster year at Maryland University before coming back with the Denver Broncos. Alas, he failed to achieve much of anything in Denver and was out by '71. Then the Bills re-hired him where he lasted until 1976 and was credited with greatly boosting the career of OJ Simpson. In retrospect, Saban played an NFL-Style game, with a strong rushing attack on offense and a stifling defense(those '64 and '65 Bills may have been the lone AFL outfit to be on the same level of NFL defenses in the Pre-Super Bowl years), and his lone successes came when those elements were in place. Had he remained in Buffalo in '66 and beyond, perhaps the Bills might have made an early Super Bowl instead of the others. John Rauch coached the Oakland Raiders to Super Bowl II, where they fell to the Packers. He had enough combined years to qualify, so that's one issue. And for a two year stretch with Oakland his teams were at the very top, employing a strong vertical passing game with a multi-dimensional running attack and a fierce defense in their own right. The problem there was Al Davis, who was Al Davis, which you certainly understand, and was why Rauch went to Buffalo in '69, where he promptly tried to mold rookie OJ Simpson into an all-around talent while Simpson was having none of it. That and other issues bumped him out of the Head Coaching ranks in 1970. He would rebound in the 70's as an assistant coach in the NFL(and a brief Head Coaching stint in the CFL), though he was part of the hopeless Tampa Bay Buccaneers during their winless inaugural season of '76. The biggest detraction Rauch has was not just losing Super Bowl II to the Packers, but getting upset by the Jets the next year. Sid Gillman is the last non-Super Bowl AFL Champion on the list, and he's this high up because of his offense. He was also one of two coaches on this list who had an NFL background, having coached for the Rams from '55 through '59 and making it to one NFL Title Game. As such he imposed a professionalism upon his team and armed them with his philosophy for the passing game. He was called the "Father of Modern-Day Passing" for a reason, which makes the fact that he cut his teeth in the coaching ranks all the way back from the 30's sort of a joke. Shoot, here's a factoid that doesn't show up in Gillman's coaching tree(which might be the Sequoia of the proverbial forest); he was an assistant to Army for a year before he recommended a replacement; Vince freakin' Lombardi himself. This is how far and how deep he reached out in the coaching world during his time. But make no mistake, Gillman revved up the passing game with the Chargers, not just employing a deep vertical attack with the wideouts but arranging his running game to take part in the attack as well. The '63 Chargers were so dynamic that they're the one pre-Super Bowl AFL Team that was "guaranteed" to beat their NFL Counterpart(the '63 Chicago Bears). Wilbur "Weeb" Ewbank is someone you probably remember from the 50's. He was the other AFL Coach with NFL experience, only his involved winning two titles in Baltimore. After getting fired in '62, he crossed over to New York to helm a New York Jets team that had just come under new ownership and was looking to make a fresh start. Development was slow- he wasn't starting from scratch like Gillman did with the Chargers- but it wasn't until 1966 and the development of Joe Namath that the Jets began to rise. Everything peaked in Super Bowl III, when the Jets shocked the Baltimore Colts 16-7 for the AFL's first victory against the NFL. Ewbank's Jets teams- at least, the ones with Namath running the offense- were all about the vertical passing game, as most AFL teams were want to do, but as proven in SB III, he could dig backwards and play the NFL Game too. Granted, SB III was more conservatively run because of a nagging injury to top wideout Don Maynard, but it's a good wrinkle. That brings us to Hank Stram, who won the most AFL Titles out of all of the candidates(three), made the most Super Bowls(two), and won SB IV in a more dominant display than Ewbank's Jets did. Now, the AFL is considered a league of innovators, largely brought about by wide-open offenses, especially with Sid Gillman, but Stram was the king of the innovators. By 1969, the Chiefs didn't just run out of the Pro-Set, but they ran 18 different Offensive sets. He's credited for bringing the I-Formation to the Professional Ranks; https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/I_formation.svg/1280px-I_formation.svg.png And the two-TE formation; https://youthfootballonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Wish-bone.png Note the backfield formation. This was actually done by Stram once. Not in Purdue, but in the AFL. October 20, 1968. The Kansas City Chiefs are taking on the Raiders, and this is at the height of Oakland's peak in the AFL years. The Chiefs are also utterly wounded at the wideout spots; almost everyone is hobbled. So Stram utilized his deep backfield and brought in what is known as the "Straight T". It's just about like the old T Formation of years past, but the flanking halfbacks are aligned a bit behind the fullback. Sometimes. This is Hank Stram, so the Straight T came with all sorts of variations, designed to confuse the Raiders defense. Running backs lined up differently, the "T" was aligned differently, even the Tight Ends got in on the act by sometimes stacking on a particular side. Oakland didn't adjust until the fourth quarter by packing in the box, but by then it was too late. The Chiefs overwhelmed the Raiders on point with too many blockers(all the decoys blocked) and never ran the ball where they expected it to go. There are others. The "Tight I", which aligned a tight end behind the quarterback and shifted the alignment to either side(this was done virtually every play in SB IV). The Moving Pocket, which was essentially a rollout pass but was vital because the Chiefs used bigger linemen and they needed Dawson to be able to look past them to find receivers(and, admittedly, help him reach those receivers as well). Then there's the Triple Stack Defense, which had the linebackers aligned not in the gaps but directly behind the linemen, this like the many offensive formations created a moment of indecision by the opposition, which could then be exploited. The Chiefs could even throw in a wrinkle, aligning their defensive tackles in a 'stunt' formation, where one of them would line up directly over the center, as we discussed with NFL Centers, which created a major problem since most were still around 240 pounds or lighter. That tactic was admittedly an AFL(and to a lesser extent the NFL) staple, and so was the addition of the Odd-Man Front, a more elaborate way to describe a 3-4 defense; https://www.totalprosports.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/3-4-defense-basic-e1311695210907.png Granted, this wasn't a pure 3-4; it largely required a lineman to play off the line, because subbing in an extra linebacker would tip the hand on a playstyle meant to bewilder the opposing team. Provided you find a good enough lineman to play this role, this wrinkle should be good to go here. So... Head Coach: Hank Stram- 1969 Offensive Style: Hank Stram's Matriculatin' Funhouse(Because what WOULD you call it?!) Defensive Style: 4-3 Triple Stack(3-4 Sub-Package) Key Assistant: Darrel Brewster- 1969(WR Coach) Key Assistant: Bill Walsh- 1969(OL Coach) Key Assistant: Tom Pratt- 1969(DL Coach) Key Assistant: Tom Bettis- 1969(DB Coach)(Four Year Exemption) Key Assistant: Tommy O'Boyle- 1969(Four Year Exemption) Key Assistant: Alvin Roy- 1969(Strength and Conditioning) Equipment Manager: Bobby Yarborough- 1969 The Bill Walsh on this team is NOT the same Bill Walsh as the 49ers Champion form the 1980's. We also had to make two exceptions on the coaching staff, as they were too vital to the fortunes of their ballclub(O'Boyle's got a vague position as an assistant but he was mainly a scout and was greatly appreciated by Stram regardless). Much like Lombardi, the selected staff is mainly the one Stram worked with during the latter half of the 60's. Stram was presumably the guy who ran the QBs and RBs and I would guess Tom Bettis ran the LBs(he was a Linebacker as a player, and played for the Packers during their '61 Championship and got a second ring with the '63 Bears) We have to devote some serious time on Alvin Roy, who was the first real serious weightlifting advocate as far as coaches went(prior to Roy, the practice was adopted piecemeal by individual players) but carries the beginnings of a rather drastic issue for the sport; Steroids. It's easy to see Steroids as the source of all evil in sports(well, if you're a columnist looking to attain the perception of moral integrity). The early 90's Drug-Free movement with all its liberal softness had a lot to do with that perception, though it had its predecessors in the 80's and 70's. The NFL's first real brush with Steroids was 1963 with the San Diego Chargers, but this goes back a few more years to the 1960 US Olympics. Roy was a member of the olympic training staff for the United States, and in the wieghtlifting competitions, they were crushed outright by the Soviet Union. The secret to the reds' success was a recently-developed artificial testosterone that they dubbed "Dianabol"(real name: methandrostenolone), which the US quickly acquired and used in their training regimens. Steroids were legal at this time, and in many sports, legal for another couple of decades(in the NFL's case, until the early 80's). Fast forward to 1963, and the San Diego Chargers are coming off a bad '62 season and have hired Roy for their staff. Roy presented Dianabol to the team, which was made "mandatory". According to player commentary, "less than five percent" of the team did not take the pills. The results clearly spoke for themselves, as the Charges blasted through the AFL and won the title that year. Roy would eventually go on to the Chiefs, the Dallas Cowboys, and finally the Oakland Raiders before dying of a heart attack in 1979. The Chiefs period is vital in this case because Roy was on staff during the Chiefs' SB IV victory. The catch is Steroids were legal at the time. Taking them was a team issue, and by the 70's, it was widespread. To those who never looked up the history of such drugs, it made sense; you look for any advantage you can get your hands on when trying to make it in a highly-competitive sport that absolutely will chew you up and [BLEEP] you out without a second thought. As far as I am concerned, the only "clean" fantasy I have about steroids during any theoretical sport career I might have had was that I would first use them to recover faster from injuries, but I have no delusions that I would have remained entirely clean for my "career". The truly clean players would have had to have been born with god-given elite talent in order to get away with it for a long enough time; the rest will be hobbled by minor injuries and eroded over the seasons until they aren't worth keeping anymore. About the only way to dramatically shift the script is to have the Aliens "scientifically" take such a tool away. This is feasible, since we're dealing with science fiction and we're making it so accumulated injuries during training camp and the scrimmages do not occur. Too many players will be affected by this(and almost everyone in the 70's), but Roy is still an advocate of free weights so that might take some of the edge off. A final note goes to Yarborough. We've yet to mention Equipment Managers(and are likely to never do so again), but Bobby's a rather unique case in the many extraordinary helmet and facemask designs used by the Chiefs during his time there. He did rather special work for players like Willie Lanier and Curtis McClinton. By the 70's helmets ceased to look so customized, apart from several 'frankenstein' jobs done on some face masks, and they wouldn't begin to look very different from one another until the 21st century rolled around. For many unique stories about helmets you just have to go to www.helmethut.com The Offensive Lineup: The same rules and restraints from the NFL team applies here. And while the Kansas City offense used multiple sets, we're going with the standard Pro-Set for the Starting Lineup. Starting Quarterback: Len Dawson- 1969 -6'0 190. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1957-59/ Cleveland Browns: 1960-61/ Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1962-69/ Kansas City Chiefs: 1970-75http://img.spokeo.com/public/900-600/len_dawson_1967_09_01.jpg I just threw Joe Namath under a bus, but surely you can't be surprised after I greased the skids of said bus with Johnny Unitas, right? In a vacuum, Namath's the superior arm and he's probably not far enough back with his mind to make that the deciding issue. What it comes down to is coach and system. Dawson attended Purdue while Hank Stram was an assistant coach there. Stram thought highly enough of Dawson to pick him up after the Browns waived him. By the end of the decade, Len had mastered the offensive system Hank put together, and could coolly decipher it all and use it to pick defenses apart. So, yeah, he's basically Bart Starr. He also was hands-down the most accurate quarterback in the AFL by a comfortable margin, the lone QB to have completion numbers on par with the NFL. Everyone else struggled to hit fifty percent flat. Granted, a lot of this was due to QBs going after the wideouts far more than in the NFL(something Namath alluded to in the days before SB III), so one could say Dawson focused more on the backs than his contemporaries. The usage of the Moving Pocket would have you believe Dawson had a sub-par arm for the game, but largely he was as serviceable there as Starr. It was just not the age of the cannon arms yet and the Pocket was more innovation than compensation. The lone drawback was that '69 Dawson was injured for most of the year, though he rebounded and had a highly proficient game in SB IV. The thing is, you need champions at QB, and sometimes you have to bite the bullet and go with the banged-up option. For a fun anecdote, here's a segment from NFL Films' Top 10 Most Underrated Players, which had Len Dawson #10. Speaking is Scott Ferrall, at the time of Sirius XM Radio, who's voice sounds like he swallows those throat speakers for a living, discussing his autographed Len Dawson photo; "I was eight years old, and I got to meet Len Dawson, and he signed this for me, and I kept it my whole life. I'm forty-six; I've kept NOTHING ELSE. Ex-Wives... Dogs... Walter Payton Ball, Joe Montana Jersey, I HATED that divorce judge. But I wouldn't let him have The Len Dawson Autograph." The only way that story would've been cooler is if it were THIS photograph that was autographed;https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e4/8c/1c/e48c1c38de00208d121fb1771cbdb191.jpg Starting Halfback: Clem Daniels- 1963 -6'1 220. Dallas Texans(AFL): 1960/ Oakland Raiders(AFL): 1961-67/ San Francisco 49ers: 1968https://i.pinimg.com/736x/8e/b0/36/8eb0365bf5cb006e7bf5c6b5704837bc.jpg The preference for players that played during the Super Bowl years hits a roadblock in the backfield, as just about everyone worth consideration during those years ultimately failed to qualify. One or two fullbacks made the grade(Matt Snell, Jim Nance), but halfbacks were virtually nonexistent. The best of the unqualified during that era was Mike Garrett of the Chiefs who was an undersized yet shifty and elusive back who was a willing blocker and developed into a reasonable receiver out of the backfield. But unqualified runningbacks had better be in an elite class all in their own, and Garrett did not overshadow his prior peers in that department. That largely left three primary options at Halfback: Paul Lowe of San Diego, Clem Daniels of Oakland, and Abner Haynes of the Chiefs(really, the Dallas Texans). All were highly effective runners. Lowe was under-utilized in the receiving game, rendering him a somewhat distant-third in the race, leaving Daniels and Haynes. At this point the race looks like it's done and done for Abner Haynes as he's the player on this short list everyone talk about the most. Granted, the most anyone typically knows of the man was for what he did during the '62 AFL Championship, not so much for his play on the field, but for what happened in Overtime; the Texans won the coin toss, but Haynes flubbed his response by saying "we'll kick to the wind." There was a fierce gust of wind for that game and the Texans wanted their backs to it, problem was that by electing to kick, at that time they surrendered the right of direction to the opposing team, in essence giving them the ball AND the wind. Haynes was only saved by a good defensive stop and his team making a clutch field goal to win the title. Even taking that out of the account, Haynes was still the most prolific runner in the AFL years, even though Daniels was the all-time rushing leader during the league's existence. The other lone contention was that both backs shared a home with the Texans in 1960. Haynes was the 1st Round draft pick and the star the offense was built around. Daniels was undrafted and rarely saw the field and was sort of a utility player who backed up halfback, cornerback, and gutted it out on Special Teams. The following factors worked in Clem's favor over Abner; his extra twenty pounds letting him take a harder beating as a runner, his more explosive production as a receiver(Oakland was a far more vertical team admittedly), and the fact that he was a leg injury away from being the leading runner for the Raiders in SB II and thus would've bridged the gap between the two phases of the AFL. Haynes had three highly explosive years for the Texans but started to fall off after the move to Kansas City and was little more than a catching specialist afterwards. About the only off-field frill that might be an issue was that Clem was one of the more outspoken players regarding the treatment of African-Americans, with some today making a comparison between him and Colin Kapernick. Granted, that's apples and oranges; Daniels was significantly more active, one of the main players involved in the infamous Boycott of the '64 All-Star Game(New Orleans treated the Black players horribly, and the subsequent boycott forced the AFL to move the game to Houston), he was also a heavy supporter for the Civil Rights movement and went so far as to nearly take part in the Selma March(ultimately talked out of it and the Raiders made a sizeable contribution to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference instead). Starting Fullback: Carlton "Cookie" Gilchrist- 1962 Secondary Positions: Placekicker(Emergency) -6'3 251. Buffalo Bills(AFL): 1962-64/ Denver Broncos(AFL): 1965/ Miami Dolphins(AFL): 1966/ Denver Broncos(AFL): 1967https://i.pinimg.com/736x/2c/8f/b2/2c8fb28d3e7ef24f93309e957a146040--football.jpg Of all the characters in the AFL, none were as polarizing as Cookie. None had as strong a positive to put him on the roster, and none had as dire a negative to leave him off. Cookie's positives were that he was just a dynamite rusher who bowled over defenders and looked to put the hurt on. Those first three years in Buffalo showcased Cookie not just as a workhorse back, but as THE premiere runner in the AFL. In a day and age where backfields were two-man operations, Cookie ran like the signature backs of a decade or two in the future. He wasn't just raw power and bulk either; he was quick and agile and also an adept receiver. As for blocking, he had no peers... when motivated. Motivation was part of the negatives about Cookie. He was already controversial for his off-beat personality and general aloofness even to his teammates and would take his clashes straight to Ownership if need be(he was far more than outspoken), but the key breaking point was a vital game late in the '64 season. A matchup between the Bills and Boston Patriots turned into an artillery war between Jack Kemp and Vito "Babe" Parilli. The problem with this was that Cookie wasn't getting the ball while the Bills were going to the air- and he was firmly of the mind that feeding him the rock 25-30 times a game was what it took for the team to win. Once Cookie understood this, his motivation to pass block went out the window, which did his quarterback no favors. Eventually it go so bad that Cookie simply walked back to the bench, told his main backup to take his place, and didn't go back in the game again. This lead to a brief Everybody-Against-Cookie conflict that was ultimately rectified in time to save the season and Buffalo won the '64 Title... only Cookie was traded to Denver during the off-season(Denver at the time was the dumping ground for AFL players, including Abner Haynes). The truth is Cookie clashed with every coach and management he ever played for, including his days in the CFL. Why was he in the CFL and not the NFL? Because the Cleveland Browns back in '54 actually tried to sign him straight out of High School, but the deal was cut down by the NFL. We're taking '62 Cookie before motivation and clashing of personalities becomes too big an issue, but also because Cookie's body started to fall apart after '65. We're also banking on Cookie being hungry and wanting to prove himself(which is key because while Hank Stram might reach Cookie better than anyone else had, his offense is a committee-rushing approach). From there, we live with whatever controversy he digs up for himself. Starting Split End: Art Powell- 1963 -6'3 211. Philadelphia Eagles: 1959/ New York Titans(AFL): 1960-62/ Oakland Raiders(AFL): 1963-66/ Buffalo Bills(AFL): 1967/ Minnesota Vikings: 1968https://jimjax4.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/art-powell-1.jpeg Powell's considered a prototype for the modern-day NFL Receiver with his size, his mobility, and his hands. He could burn defenders deep, he could slip by them underneath, he could out-muscle them at the point of attack. During his peak, the only AFL receiver to be a rival to him, let alone surpass him, was Lance Alworth, the guy most consider to be the finest wideout the league had ever produced. Largely that was because Lance had a roughly unencumbered time, his biggest struggles having been to learn the tricks of the trade from scratch when defenses finally caught up to his swiftness and began to double-team him. Art had it a tad rougher, but not on the field exactly. Another player who met the 'complicated and sometimes hostile' relations between black players and the rest, Powell tended to get the short end of the stick prior to arriving in Oakland. Already a sort of free spirit(he attended college for one year before going to Canada for a couple of seasons), he encountered the ugly face of bigotry in the deep south, back when NFL franchises would stage exhibition games there. He attempted to stage a boycott during a preseason game for the Eagles and it went nowhere; he left the team and joined up with the New York Titans(Jets), who at the time were struggling financially(the owner married a mob boss widow once because she may have had a fortune stashed away), and he had a second run-in with that bigotry in another exhibition game in '61. Another failure. It wasn't until he was allowed to leave and somehow Al Davis persuaded him to sign with the floundering Raiders that he found the closest thing to a home during his career. Davis actually supported him, changing an exhibition game from Mobile, Alabama to their home field(at the time Frank Youell Field). And when the boycott of the '64 All-Star game took place, Davis got involved again. By this point, Powell kind of developed into a bit of a loner, saying that the only friend he would have on the team is Cookie Gilchrist(well then!) if he played for his team. So, yeah, there was some controversy, but a lot of it misunderstood. Ultimately, Powell was traded to Buffalo because Davis had said he could leave anytime he wanted to and Powell had a business opportunity in Toronto(a place he had lived in during his CFL years). It turned out to not work for him; the Bills were simplistic and he got injured, which took away his career. Had he stayed put, there was a good chance he'd have made it to SB II. Powell also had a basketball background, which greatly helped him as a receiver. What he gives this team is versatility, as he's not just a vertical deep burner but can work all the other routes, which will help Len Dawson considerably. He's complained that wideouts shouldn't have to block, but there's nothing to indicate that he wasn't capable of it or unwilling to do so. Starting Flanker: Otis Taylor- 1969 -6'3 215. Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1965-69/ Kansas City Chiefs: 1970-75https://i.pinimg.com/736x/6b/ed/a7/6beda7c8cfcb3fd8625a9cafb133b69d.jpg At the time, Otis was compared to Art Powell. Given that he's playing alongside Art Powell on this team, that's a sweet arrangement. As great a player as Lance Alworth was, the truth of the matter is Otis was athletically superior and he became Len's go-to guy thanks to his athleticism. That incredible receiving touchdown he made in SB IV might look like a deep burn on paper, but in truth it was an underneath route to the outside, a short pass that normally leaves the wide-out swallowed up by the cornerback for a short gain, only this time Taylor shrugs the cornerback off as he turns and burns down the sideline, juking out of the diving grasp of a desperate safety before arriving at the end zone, more or less putting a dagger in the heart of the Vikings that game. One could argue that Otis isn't exactly at his peak- that it probably came in the early 70's along with the Chiefs themselves. I would say every trait, from his skills to his studying of the game and his peers, is shown during these AFL years as well. In short, this offense has two receivers capable of making life a living [BLEEP] for an opposing secondary, which was better than the Chiefs themselves ultimately had. Starting Tight End: Fred Arbanas- 1969 -6'3 240. Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1962-69/ Kansas City Chiefs: 1970https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/t_share/MTU5ODQxNDkyMTUxMDUxNDIx/ArbanasFredCatch.jpg December, 1964. Fred Arbanas is coming off a third high-quality season as the Chiefs' Tight End. Possessing great hands on top of his stout blocking ability, he's a serious threat in the passing game, one that defenses can't ignore. He gets into a fight with two Kansas City locals. The damage doesn't become truly known until the next month, when it is discovered that he is legitly blind in his right eye. His receiving stats dwindle over the next six years, never reaching the averages he sustained through the first three. Still, he rolls up his sleeves and does yeoman's work on the line as a blocker, which factors greatly in the Chiefs still utilizing him down the stretch. Apart from a broken down 1970 season, his last real hurrah is starting in SB IV and helping dominate the Vikings on the ground. The thing is, we can't fully discount Fred's decline solely from having only one good eye. We've had players worth mentioning that were limited in such ways. Tommy Thompson and Irv Comp from the 40's were the primary passers for their ballclubs and turned out to be solid contributors. Bobby Dillon may be the best defensive back to miss the 50's roster and he wasn't just blind but had a glass eye. If I had to be a judge, it was two factors; yes, blindness did affect Fred largely because the pace of the game was starting to become too much for a one-eyed player to handle, but it was also the evolution of KC's passing game(the wideouts didn't truly start to take off until they found Otis Taylor, incidentally playing his rookie year at the same time as Fred's first one-eyed season) which decreased the chances Fred had to contribute as a receiver. He might have done more on a vertical air-it-out team like the Jets or the Raiders or even the Chargers. '63 Arbanas is the last year we can realistically expect to take him before going blind(the fight happened in December, which is too iffy for '64), and while that sounds appealing, the multi-dimensional offense KC runs(and this team will run) relies a lot on the Tight End lining up in numerous different ways, including in the backfield as an addition to the I-Formation. '69 Arbanas understands the system inside and out, and can contribute accordingly. Starting Left Tackle: Jim Tyrer- 1969 -6'6 280. Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1961-69/ Kansas City Chiefs: 1970-73/ Washington Redskins: 1974https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ce/51/44/ce5144db9461dc352d8fc44479df48ac.jpg The size isn't a typo. AFL Offensive Linemen were on average heavier than their NFL counterparts, and perhaps owing to the increased emphasis on the passing game, their heaviest gains were at the blindside protection. About the only NFL Tackle that could presumably match Tyrer in size is Bob Brown, with Jim Parker as a Dark Horse candidate. That said, Jim wasn't all size; he was mobile with great feet and was often described as the toughest blocker to beat in the league by several feared adversaries on the defensive line. In a theoretical mixing of NFL and AFL squads, Tyrer's one of the probable candidates to come from the younger league. The only controversy Jim ever made was in 1980, when he committed a murder-suicide, killing his wife before taking his own life. This is one of the hidden incidents from a time when CTE was not yet understood, and according to some that incident was the key reason Tyrer never made the Hall of Fame. Starting Left Guard: Ed Budde- 1969 -6'5 265. Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1963-69/ Kansas City Chiefs: 1970-76http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/pg-photo/2018/06/04/0ap3000000935755/30-ed-budde_pg_600.jpg One could argue that Billy Shaw of the Buffalo Bills is the superior choice at Left Guard. This is largely attributed to his Hall of Fame nomination- the only one given to a player who played solely in the AFL. For a lengthy portion of time he was the highest honored guard in the AFL, even though age had started to erode him during the Super Bowl period. But at the end of the day, Budde was just as talented, and more importantly welded to Jim Tyrer on the blind side. Apart from sweeps, the guard is often paired with the tackle alongside him, though admittedly this connection has really been exploited only once(the 1930's squad utilizing Danny Fortmann and Joe Stydahar on the left side). Not as big as Tyrer(an inch or two and about fifteen pounds), Budde was still an imposing specimen at 6'5, when guards were often around 6'2, maybe 6'3. He was viable off sweeps but was more valuable at the point of the attack, whether drive-blocking or protecting Dawson. He only had one quirk. Linemen in a three-point stance will typically have their right hand down. Budde used his left. Starting Center: Jim Otto- 1969 -6'2 255. Oakland Raiders(AFL): 1961-69/ Oakland Raiders: 1970-74https://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/2013/10/steelers-jim-otto-hike-800.jpg The consensus choice. Otto was highly qualified in both run and pass blocking, and he was extremely durable. Iron-Man durable. "Iron Man who would walk onto the field in casts and leg crutches if needed" durable. The injury history is positively gnarly. Nine operations for his knees during his entire career, 74 assorted operations through his entire life. He had to have his joints replaced multiple times, sometimes the artificial replacements led to life-threatening infections, and finally an entire leg was amputated in 2007. And the injury history stretched as far back as College, where the injury bug was one half of the label that kept NFL teams from trying him out; the other was that he was barely above 200 pounds but was trying to make it as a Center. Oakland took a chance on him, and he bulked up to the 240 range by the end of his rookie year. His mass had grown to the point where he could handle the AFL quirk of lining a tackle directly over him on the snap. In a combined team he's the overwhelming choice for Center based on that dynamic. There's really no period in Otto's AFL career where he wasn't playing in pain to some degree, so there's no point in trying to find that sweet spot of health. '69 Otto is battle-scarred but highly experienced and the best qualified to call blocking assignments to the rest of the line. Jim also has several quirks, playing with a back's two-bar facemask with a bolted-on nose guard(which would put him right at home with all the helmet oddities the Chiefs had during those days), and wearing Double-Zero(the regulation of Uniform Numbers occured in '73 but Otto was one of several players who had their unique looking numbers grandfathered into the league despite being distinctly off-base). Starting Right Guard: Walt Sweeney- 1967 -6'4 256. San Diego Chargers(AFL): 1963-69/ San Diego Chargers: 1970-73/ Washington Redskins: 1974-75https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/t_share/MTU5ODQxNDU1NjQzODk1Njg2/18 Walt Sweeney-Defensive Rm.jpg Last time I did this, I believe I left him off the roster. I was considerably more anti-steroids at the time and I looked at Walt's addiction history and concluded that he wasn't worth the trouble. Since I'm more lenient on the subject this time around, I have to conclude that Sweeney's addictions were detrimental largely to himself rather than the team, and as such aren't worth kicking him off the roster again. Which is a good thing, since he's the only one at Right Guard who played at a level worthy of this team. No less an authority than Merlin Olsen called him one of the best guards he played against(and this was during Walt's twilight years after the merger) and said if he faced Walt every game he'd go sell cars for a living. Heady phrase. He was strong and swift, with no physical holes in his game, and he was smart enough to fill in at other positions in a pinch if called upon. He was also considered an excellent Special Teams player for his time, and given that this is still a day and age where some starters have to pull extra duty on these bomb squads, that's all the better for him. Given that the entirely of his controversy with the NFL started after his playing days, and that nothing really bad emerged during his actual career, it's safe to say Walt's not a trouble-maker. Starting Right Tackle: Ron Mix- 1966 -6'4 250. Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers(AFL): 1960-69/ Oakland Raiders: 1971https://cdn-s3.si.com/images/alltime-team-ron-mix-ap-nflphotos.jpg They called him "The Intellectual Assassin." Mainly because he got his law degree during his playing career. Mix was the AFL's Forrest Gregg. I should honestly end it there, but there are some other tidbits of note. He had two quirks as a blocker. His stance was a bit odd, hunching him over somewhat, but it served him well. On pass protection, instead of backing up and engaging defenders on the retreat, he would pop the defender at the center snap, and repeatedly drive him back at the line of scrimmage. He's one of the few blockers with a kind of statistical anecdote; he was only charged with two holding penalties in his entire career. He was also a rarity when it came to civil rights, joining the black players in the boycott of the '64 All-Star Game, which led to other white players joining the boycott. He's one of the few players of his time who stopped taking steroids after being introduced to them. His play didn't suffer, as he was an avid weightlifter to begin with. The funny part was the AFL was just going to be a venture for a year or two to get his feet off the ground; he had never actually loved the sport, preferring baseball and track. He discovered a fun for the game during his professional career when most football players acquired it in their youth. The Defensive Lineup: Starting Left Defensive End: Earl Faison- 1963 -6'5 270. San Diego Chargers(AFL): 1961-66/ Miami Dolphins(AFL): 1966http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TWldSjr4wx0/TnDr5pMqziI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/0R89nftxwwE/s1600/Faison.jpg Playing with the Chiefs' template on defense, there's an emphasis on size though not at the expense of mobility. Faison was one of those players who was anything but limited. Earl had the size and strength to be overpowering(he could've been the strongest man in the world, according to Alvin Roy), and the swiftness to be a terror when rushing the quarterback, but there was a hidden flexibility to his game. His reach was such that batting down opposing passes, or screwing up their mechanics and timing, was something close to common. Another wrinkle was that every now and again, Faison might end up as the designated linebacker should San Diego revert to a 3-4 form. The Chargers could do this because during the first half of the 60's, they assembled a "Fearsome Foursome" of their own, with the big cat Ernie Ladd anchoring the middle and an assortment of complementary players holding down the other two positions. Longetivity wasn't in Earl's favor, as his back had started to go by '65 and he spent the '66 season as part of the Miami Dolphins. '67 was a lost year with Miami trading him, getting him back ,then placing him on waivers, which led to a lawsuit over his contract but Faison failed to win that one. Still, this is a peak-of-his-powers sort of practice, not one based on longetivity and merit, and "Comets" such as Faison have greater worth than in the normal perspective of history. Starting Left Defensive Tackle: Tom Sestak- 1964(Slightly Off-Position) -6'5 267. Buffalo Bills(AFL): 1962-68https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/quarterback-len-dawson-of-the-kansas-city-chiefs-scrambles-to-avoid-picture-id86410257 An underrated aspect of the Chief's "Odd Man" alignment was that there wasn't a designated Nose Tackle; either the left or the right tackle could align over the center. This gave the Chiefs an ability to align towards either side and give them additional flexibility. Therefore, it's useful to have two tackles with experience lining up in the middle. Thankfully, most of the more renowned tackles in the AFL played this sort of role. Sestak is simply the second-best of the bunch, hence why he's shifted to the left. Another uncomplicated guy, Tom was such that his main quirk seemed to be a disregard for pain. Buffalo Trainer Eddie Abramoski said in a Sports Illustrated article that he once spoke of a minor pain he was feeling for a couple of weeks and wanted an aspirin- turned out to be two broken ribs. Tom took an asprin and played anyway. "Tom thinks a couple of aspirin will cure anything," Abramoski concluded. This was in '65, the earliest documented case of Tom's aches and pains, including an ongoing problem with his knees that helped to cut his career short. Tom was sort of compared to the NFL's Merlin Olson during his time and was without glaring flaws. In addition to sometimes playing the nose in a 3-4, sometimes he played "end" in the same formation. That's a nice bit of versatility should it ever be needed. Starting Right Defensive Tackle: Junious "Buck" Buchanan- 1969 -6'7 270. Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1963-69/ Kansas City Chiefs: 1970-75https://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/of1718/picture1272848/alternates/FREE_960/IMG_Buchanan_Buck.JPG_2_1_TBR2RF9_L18677807.JPG Not only was Buck strong and large, he was fast; he clocked a 4.9 in the 40 while at Grambling State. He had a physical arsenal that was nothing short of devastating, and he would prove to be excellent at batting down passes. While the Chiefs alternated their tackles over center, Buck was the best one for the job, and was pretty much the best defensive tackle in the AFL by the end. And weirdly, while he was the 1st overall pick in the '63 AFL Draft(the first Black Athlete to get such an honor), the NFL didn't draft him until the 19th round. Utterly inexplicable, except that this was before the AFL's much publicized bidding wars, and excellent black athletes such as Buchanan were acquired on the cheap, especially if they didn't play in the big prestigious colleges. The AFL exploited this practice, which helped to bridge the talent gap between the two leagues considerably. No disrespect to Sestak, but the Chiefs more often than not used Buck over the center(especially during SB IV, though they did use Curley Culp for stretches), and the same practice still applies here. Starting Right Defensive End: Rich Jackson- 1969(Off-Position)(Three Year Exception) -6'3 255. Oakland Raiders(AFL): 1966/ Denver Broncos(AFL): 1967-69/ Denver Broncos: 1970-72/ Cleveland Browns: 1972http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/defensive-lineman-rich-jackson-of-the-denver-broncos-battles-against-picture-id56859826 On a general rule, this is supposed to be the decade when the Exceptions are phased out of the player pool. That's probably a bit premature, because these are separate leagues, and the AFL was much like the NFL in the 40's and 30's- too few teams. Even with the increased roster sizes, the available group of above-average or better players tends to thin out rather considerably. Right Defensive End is one such location; filled with guys who would be serviceable on the World Stage but are otherwise unremarkable and can be beaten. The best of the qualified would be "Big Ben" Davidson of the Oakland Raiders, who had immense size, though a slight reputation as an underachiever and dirty player. Others like Verlon Biggs of the Jets and Larry Eisenhauer of Boston are either not fully motivated(Biggs) or were early stars that were otherwise unremarkable(Eisenhauer). But the biggest problem comes down to the overall team fit. Remember what we said about the 3-4. This wasn't yet the time where you could insert a linebacker off the bench if you wanted to switch from the 4-3(you DID do this with a defensive back if you reverted to a Nickel however), what you did instead was move one of your lineman off the line and play as a sort of linebacker. There wasn't any guarantee that player wasn't a glorified rushbacker though; circumstances would arise that would require some coverage skills on the part of the lineman. By process of elimination, the Chiefs during the Super Bowl era probably used Aaron Brown- a swift right end who was fast enough to experiment with as a fullback. I say this because Jerry Mays on the left edge wasn't noted as being used in that way. Mainly he occupied the left end on the three-man front. This isn't really shown in SB IV against Minnesota, but largely I think the 3-4 gimmick was used for the more explosive AFL offenses. Against the Vikings, it was enough to use the 4-3. (Golden Football Magazine implied that in SB I, the Chiefs inserted a linebacker on third and long plays, but that's the lone mention of such a thing) So ideally, we need a ferocious pass rusher on the right edge, one strong enough to often work on his own, one capable of dropping into coverage. This is where the man they called "Tombstone" comes into play. If you're unqualified, you'd better be exceptional and unique. Jackson was both. A savage knee injury in '71 ended his career when it should've begun its mainstream phase. Prior to that, Rich played in utter obscurity for Denver, which was the AFL's Siberia. Thus, he's been lost to history, remembered largely by the dire fanatics. Paul Zimmerman was a very outspoken fan of Tombstone's work, advocating that even his brief career was Hall-of-Fame worthy. The comparisons to Deacon Jones are crazy enough, but it got to the point where there's become a debate over who invented the freaking Head Slap. I won't go into particulars, but I will mention Jackson merited more tales of destruction with that move, one claim involved him actually breaking an opponent's helmet with the slap! He was also a fantastic run defender, though he didn't have the truly elite speed that could carry him sideline-to-sideline like Deacon. He was strong at the point of attack and simply wasn't beat. The uniqueness comes with how Denver used him. His brief time in Oakland was spent as a linebacker(he DIDN'T play linebacker in college), and for the first few years in Denver, they tended to shuffle their line. Rich might play on the right edge(in '67), or on the left edge(for the rest of his career), or play inside at tackle, either side... or even as a linebacker. Again, he wasn't primarily used as a rushbacker, he would occasionally be used to go into coverage. The linebacking role seemingly faded by 1970(no known footage) but he was still shifted all over the defensive line in specific situations. That's a good level of versatility to have in this case; he and Faison could really make the 3-4 something that could work as a wrinkle. '70 Jackson was probably at his peak, but I think he's losing only a year's worth of polish. He was already becoming far more technical and varied in his moves by the end of '69. Starting Left Linebacker: Bobby Bell- 1969 Secondary Positions: Long Snapper(Primary) -6'4 228. Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1963-69/ Kansas City Chiefs: 1970-74https://i.pinimg.com/736x/6c/09/91/6c0991f6438624213e601a5e25292746--chiefs-football-kansas-city-chiefs.jpg Hank Stram once said Bell "Could play all 22 positions on the field, and play them well." which is downright fantastic praise considering he implied Bell would be a highly functional Quarterback(he was All-State at that spot in High School). His speed was reported to be in the 4.5 range, which allowed him to cover and recover against speedy back and receivers. An extremely fine open-field tackler, and a fantastic blitzer. He was the prototype for Outside Linebackers. Put together a list of desired attributes for this modern day and age and Bell still checks the boxes on that list. A surefire selection in a Combined Team. He also doubled as a stalwart Special Teams player. His most common role there was as the Chiefs' long snapper, considered one of the greats of his time. That's probably largely due to his athleticism after the snap, but there's nothing about him botching snaps, and more to the point he wasn't one of the centers, since that was the position that typically held the job. One time, he cleanly fielded an offsides kick and ran it back for a touchdown. So, yeah, Bell was used an awful lot and for good reason. Fun fact; he was initially a Defensive End for the Chiefs, and was especially good dropping back as a fourth linebacker in that 3-4 alignment. Eventually he was permanently moved to linebacker outright. Starting Middle Linebacker: Willie Lanier- 1969(Three Year Exception) -6'1 245. Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1967-69/ Kansas City Chiefs: 1970-77https://i.pinimg.com/736x/b7/65/a2/b765a2b1aed97d9f7da3a03647f80a5e--kansas-city-chiefs-minnesota-vikings.jpg Another Exception. And like Tombstone Jackson, Lanier was everything you need to be in order to merit being chosen despite not qualifying; he was exceptional, and he was unique. He also filled an irreplaceable role as this team needs a defensive "quarterback" leading the unit. Lanier filled that role for the Chiefs in SB IV. His skills were immaculate, whether it was pursuing the ball carriers or covering on passes. His intelligence was clearly excellent because of the stigma at the time; Black players simply did not play Quarterback or Middle Linebacker, the reasoning being those were "thinking" positions. Lanier was the first Black Middle Linebacker, but the truth was he made his race irrelevant. He was great no matter the color of his skin. Even so, he had to beat down the door in order to succeed at this challenge(including beating out a fellow rookie for the job. Jim Lynch was the competitor for that spot and he came from Notre Dame while Lanier came from Morgan State. Lanier won, but Lynch was shifted to Right Linebacker instead of cut outright. These two plus Bobby Bell were easily the best linebacking corps in the AFL by the end.) In a Combined Team, Lanier- unqualified- merits a lot of consideration against the likes of Butkus. Let that sink in. Starting Right Linebacker: George Webster- 1969(Off-Position)(Three Year Exception) -6'4 220. Houston Oilers(AFL): 1967-69/ Houston Oilers: 1970-72/ Pittsburgh Steelers: 1972-73/ New England Patriots: 1974-76http://www.remembertheafl.com/images/OilersBillsSmall_small.jpg I will say this; when it comes to defenses, I prefer the Exceptions to be players who fulfilled particular niches. Sam Huff ran the Giants defense on the field in the late 50's and that's why he was the starting Middle Linebacker for the 50's team. Same for Willie Lanier on this team. And Rich Jackson, while not explicitly playing a niche, had the skills to fill a particular niche that this team's defense contains. Webster, while incredibly exceptional, has no such role. He is here because his athleticism is second to nobody except maybe Bobby Bell in his player pool. Webster's another "Comet", a man who came late in the decade, utterly dominated for a short time, then injuries took away what he had. In this case, a knee injury in '70 turned him into a mortal. At Michigan State, he was known as a Roverback, which is essentially an extra safety with some linebacker responsibilities. When he came to Houston, he was primarily an outside linebacker, but his speed and hitting prowess were legit. He once ran down Bullet Bob Hayes in an exhibition match against the Cowboys(from '67 to '69, NFL and AFL teams could face each other in the pre-season). He was also one of the top members of a '66 Michigan State team that got screwed out of a National Championship(in a once-in-a-generation matchup against Mutually Undefeated Notre Dame, the two teams played to a tie that was deliberately instigated by Notre Dame, whose mystique gave them the nod for the Championship rather than performance- a classic example of the College Bowl System being just plain bull[BLEEP]... that and the Big Ten not permitting successive Rose Bowl bids at the time) The Triple Stack places a premium on linebacker mobility to the sideline, since they are bunched tighter in the middle instead of on the edge. You'd be amazed what a distance of several yards can do in pursuit angles and the like. George was on the left side of the Oilers largely because it was the most important 'side' of the defense(apart from Middle Linebacker, it was the Left Linebacker who had the greatest responsibility). Against the NFL Team, there likely isn't a 'weak' side on the offense, so Webster isn't being 'hidden' on the right side. He'll likely have just as much a strenuous job as Bobby Bell. Starting Left Cornerback: Willie Brown- 1969(Slightly Off-Position) -6'1 195. Denver Broncos(AFL): 1963-66/ Oakland Raiders(AFL): 1967-69/ Oakland Raiders: 1970-78https://i.pinimg.com/736x/74/d8/c2/74d8c2e4d5cbac51dcedb17db7c21680.jpg To give you an idea about how long it took AFL Secondaries to develop, Willie Brown was part of the Houston Oilers' training camp in 1963. During camp he would cover a wideout by the name of Charley Hennigan, who at the time was the league's premier possession receiver. Charley wasn't especially gifted from an athletic standpoint, but he had a lot of moves, and he would torch Brown repeatedly. In their shortsightedness, Houston cut him during camp. Brown wound up in Denver, where he would begin his rise... but Charley would still torch him whenever Denver faced off against Houston. I would say by the time he was traded to Oakland, Willie had finally developed. Some might argue that Willie lacks burst. That mostly comes from the mid to late 70's, because Willie got mainstream notoriety during Super Bowl X thanks to that immortalized pick-six he had against Minnesota. There were no such complaints about Willie during his AFL days. He had the speed to cover receivers and the instincts to jump in at the right moment and pluck the ball away, but his biggest forte was the Bump and Run, which most credit him for innovating(though there are numerous examples from both the AFL and NFL that might contradict this). The Bump and Run is about disrupting the timing between the quarterback and the receiver, whether through delaying the receivers route or stopping it outright. Willie was second to none at that specific skill. The lone issue is placement. Willie spent his Oakland years at Right Corner, but spent his Denver years at Left Corner. He wasn't well-regarded on the left corner... but it was Denver. At the time you were playing in obscurity while in Denver. What I think really happened was this; Oakland already had a left corner in Kent McCloughan(who thanks to an injury-riddled '69 failed to qualify) who was firmly established on that end. So they moved Willie Brown to right corner, where he bumped off Dave Grayson. And once Willie was established at right corner, the Raiders never bothered to move him again. I'm betting that this won't be a problem. Starting Left Safety: George Saimes- 1964(Slightly Off-Position) -5'11 186. Buffalo Bills(AFL): 1963-69/ Denver Broncos: 1970-72https://i.pinimg.com/736x/f6/00/44/f60044fc833c1155060e022288ca0efd--buffalo-bills.jpg The Chiefs did not have a typical weak/strong difference between their safeties. Rather, they seemed to use both safeties as if they were of a hybrid variety. They could cover the pass like free safeties, but would also be expected to play the run like strong safeties. I imagine this was typical of the AFL at large because of the more high octane offenses at play and the seeming lack of a 'strong' side on those offenses. Even so, right safeties seemed to get the majority of accolades compared to their counterparts on the left. Nevertheless, this arrangement benefits us, as we can insert a second right safety into the secondary, and so long as focusing their attention on the left side isn't an insurmountable obstacle, the overall defense should be solidified. We'll get to the guy at Right Safety in a moment, but Saimes is the second-best on that list(depending on how you feel about Dave Grayson). He had enough of an athletic pedigree to be a fullback at Michigan State, though he proved he wasn't anything exceptional as a runner at the Professional level. But as a safety he proved to be reliable in support of his cornerbacks. His anticipation was great, and so was his open-field tackling, which was a great boon to Buffalo's run defense during their brief period of dominance in the mid-60's. About the only knocks on him were his size(5'11 isn't exactly the height you want for a guy that may engage with tight ends) and his hands(he presumably could've made more interceptions). Still, George fits exactly what you want; he's a right safety who can play a left safety's game should you need it. Fun fact; Saimes was originally drafted by the Chiefs. I don't know what happened with George at Kansas City, but the idea of combining him and Johnny Robinson on the same secondary is a fascinating what-if. Starting Right Safety: Johnny Robinson- 1968 -6'1 205. Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1961-69/ Kansas City Chiefs: 1970-71http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/johnnyrobinson.jpg Robinson's the lone Chief who played in SB IV but we couldn't use because of a gnarly injury he sustained in the AFL Championship. He had three broken ribs, and literally could not play in that game without shots of novocaine administered to him by a doctor, who would be on the Chiefs sideline and would have the responsibility of ensuring Johnny's lungs weren't punctured by those ribs during the game. Even though he contributed to two turnovers in the game, that's just too much hurt to deal with. I don't know how fast he could heal, but it's a guideline we follow; any known injuries sustained before the end of the season are not magically 'erased'. Even if we take away SB IV, Robinson is still hands down the best safety the AFL has to offer. Another offensive player that was converted to defense(he had been a flanker and halfback, and couldn't find a starting spot), Johnny demonstrated excellent instincts for the ball and a hard-hitting presence. According to Lance Alworth, he could see the entire pass pattern being run, and not just the receiver in the immediate vicinity, but the tight end and running backs as well. Johnny attributes his success at defense from his prior time on offense, which helped him understand what they were doing and how to defeat them. Starting Right Cornerback: George "Butch" Byrd- 1965 Secondary Positions: Punt Returner(Alternate) -6'0 211. Buffalo Bills(AFL): 1964-69/ Buffalo Bills: 1970/ Denver Broncos: 1971https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nVdK5GAp46I/W7jrXzD0SgI/AAAAAAAAANQ/bEd917FxyhoNC9MTMV7EWADfENSkS8d1wCEwYBhgL/s1600/Byrd%2Braces%2Bfor%2Bhis%2Bpick%2Bsix.JPG It came down to Byrd and Dave Grayson, a man who was selected as a first-team all-AFL player by the Hall of Fame, was renowned as a dangerous ball hawk at both cornerback and safety, and had spent time in the Texans/Chiefs organization. The problem was the Chiefs traded Grayson away for Fred "The Hammer" Williamson, indicating there was some kind of flaw in Grayson's game. I'm guessing that was his hitting prowess, because that was the Hammer's forte(y'know, until he got knocked out the SB I with an injury). At any rate, the cornerbacks for the AFL are going to be expected to hit running backs and that plays to Butch's favor. Take away the hitting and Byrd was still an excellent cover corner, one that could play the bump and run and still move with the receivers down the field. Alas, like most Buffalo Bills stars of the decade, he faded into obscurity after the merger and became a mere footnote. He's a highly underrated player, even if we're taking a rather young version of him. The Bench: Just like the NFL. 18 remaining slots. Kicker: Jan Stenerud- 1969(Three Year Exception) -6'2 187. Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1967-69/ Kansas City Chiefs: 1970-79/ Green Bay Packers: 1980-83/ Minnesota Vikings: 1984-85http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EpcKzZuXZos/Tw1vwICHVbI/AAAAAAAAD-Y/Tw2FyTIHgl0/s1600/Stenerud_Jan11_Chiefs.jpg Making an exception for a pure Kicker feels laughable. Actually using a Pure Kicker that does nothing else even more so. While the practice will quickly fall to extinction by the next decade, the idea is to conserve roster space by having the specialists he useful in other areas of the game, and supplementing the starters with position players who doubled as specialists. Stenerud breaks those guidelines for a special reason; no kicker this decade and before ever approached his accuracy while carrying a deep leg. Stenerud wasn't the first foreign-born kicker, nor was he the first Soccer-Style kicker. The Gogolak brothers had the soccer style, and there might have been someone deeply buried in history to have the first foreign label. That said, Stenerud came from Norway and had a youth soccer background, but he applied to Montana State University as a Ski Jumper. By coincidence, he was discovered kicking a football for funsies after a workout, and asked to try out for the football team. Used entirely as a kicker, he made waves the next year and was All-American by the time of his graduation(he still made All-American as a Ski Jumper too, in case you wanted to know). We mentioned back in the 40's that Lou Groza was really the first to be a consistent threat from deep. Stenerud was the next evolution of that threat. SB IV was a fascinating example. In the modern day, when Super Bowls are played in domes or really stable warm climates, nobody really perks their eyes up after a 48-yard field goal. Well, at the time of SB IV, played in a just rained outdoor venue in New Orleans, the record was 43 yards by Don Chandler, and most thought that would only ever be challenged by last minute desperation attempts. Stenerud's first try of the game was at midfield. It went in, and stunned the Minnesota Vikings, who thought they bent but didn't break against the Chiefs and didn't figure they could kick that far. Fred Cox, their kicker, was not known to reach fifty yards. Few NFL kickers could reach that, none were accurate at all at that range. Stenerud like Groza would kick for what seemed like eons, finally wrapping up his career in 1985 at the age of 43. Specialist Kickers and Punters would prove to be the positions that could easily breach the 40-year barrier thanks to how sparingly they were used. Punter: Paul Maguire- 1965 Secondary Positions: Linebacker(Reserve) -6'0 228. Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers(AFL): 1960-63/ Buffalo Bills(AFL): 1964-69/ Buffalo Bills: 1970http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/jets-v-buffalo-bills-pictured-55-paul-maguire-during-the-new-york-vs-picture-id154573115 Maguire spent his years with the Chargers as a starting linebacker as well as a punter. When he went to Buffalo, he was no longer a starter on defense. Not because he sucked, but the main three of Mike Stratton, Harry Jacobs, and John Tracey were just too good to replace(another linebacker unable to get into the starting lineup was Marty Schottenheimer, whom you may know of for his days as a Coach). The stats don't show it(not even tackles were kept as a stat on PFR during this decade), but Maguire was an active backup on defense. Paul's forte was the "coffin corner" kick, where you angle your punt towards that corner where the sideline and the goal line intersect. The really good coffin corner booters can get the ball out of bounds within the opponent's five yard line. This is kind of a lost art- punters opting for a high hang time and reliance on the team's gunners to down a ball before it bounces into the end zone. But that skill isn't really what made him the choice versus Jerrell "Thunderfoot" Wilson of Kansas City. Utility was the reason. It wasn't just that Maguire doubled as a linebacker; he was an active participant in Special Teams even when his side was returning punts. Most notably, there was a Butch Byrd Punt Return TD in the '65 AFL Championship, where Maguire had the final two blocks during the return, which were devastating enough to warrant mention anytime Maguire is discussed outside of his broadcasting career. Backup Quarterback: Daryle Lamonica- 1963 Secondary Positions: Punter(Alternate) -6'3 215. Buffalo Bills(AFL): 1963-66/ Oakland Raiders(AFL): 1967-69/ Oakland Raiders: 1970-74http://img07.deviantart.net/32af/i/2015/042/9/d/daryle_lamonica_buffalo_bills_qb_by_slr1238-d8hjz38.jpg Rookie Lamonica seems like a dire choice for Backup QB, doesn't it? It's a flawed field, to be sure. Apart from Dawson, nearly everybody throwing passes in the AFL were gunslingers. The best of the bunch(Joe Namath) is simply too controversial; not in what he does on and off the field, but that there would be full-throated arguments about having him start over Len Dawson. George Blanda doubled as a kicker, and he was the hottest hand in the early AFL, but he was somewhat iffy as a kicker and poured on the picks. John Hadl had a great vertical attack in San Diego and doubled as a punter for a time, but was also heavy on the picks. So was Jack Kemp, who apparently had so many intangibles that I selected him for this spot last time(at least I think I did). Babe Parilli was too old and ineffective overall, which makes his presence on the Boston Patriots rather fitting- as they were the "Underdog" team of the league. Tom Flores may have been the most proficient quarterback outside of Dawson, but he was negligable pre-Super Bowl and injuries took away his efficiency afterwards. There was no one worth mentioning in Denver. The only one left is Lamonica, who was the backup in Buffalo until he was traded to Oakland, where the sobriquet "Mad Bomber" was created. There are two reasons to use Rookie Lamonica over "Mad Bomber" Lamonica. The first is that the KC System is complex enough that you need time and a lack of clutter in the QB's brain in order to train him. Lamonica had to learn Oakland's system from scratch when he was traded to them and even then his first year had some occasional hiccups(which is funny to say about a 13-1 team that went to SB II). Besides, the Chiefs system proved it could be run by a youngster to some degree when Mike Livingston had to replace Len Dawson for a stretch in '69. The second is rather asinine; Lamonica doubled as the Punter that year. It's a viable option to have a suitable backup specialist when your primary specialist is involved more and carries a higher risk of injury(another concept that will go out like the Dodo by the next decade). It does help that Lamonica wasn't just a bench rider; Buffalo used him as a kind of relief pitcher when Kemp either sucked or got hurt, and he was fairly successful at that role. Backup Halfback: Abner Haynes- 1960 Secondary Positions: Kick Returner(Primary), Punt Returner(Alternate) -6'0 190. Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1960-64/ Denver Broncos(AFL): 1965-66/ Miami Dolphins(AFL): 1967/ New York Jets(AFL): 1967http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HHIsul85hes/T1Sih1cyH1I/AAAAAAAAEPE/Y_pLBYzFmFA/s1600/Haynes_Abner5_Texans.jpg The committee approach guarantees a good portion of carries will go to Haynes, who if nothing else is a superior version of Warren McVea(if we're going by KC's '69 Template) that can provide a faster option out of the backfield and take care of the return duties. "He was a franchise player before they talked about franchise players," said Hank Stram. He offers an excellent dimension to an All-Time team, comparable to Gale Sayers. It's worth treating the '63 season as a potential beginning of the end, which negates the '62 season for Haynes despite his team winning the title that year. I'm going with '60 because Rookie Running Backs tend to be the most ideal rookies; plenty of tread on their tires, lot of fire in their guts, and they largely have the most simplistic job on the offense when you get into the details. (Footnote; The AFL Mini-series "Full Color Football" had a section about the '64 All Star Game Boycott. Haynes was considered one of the leaders of that movement by Chiefs management, and according to him, was traded to Denver because of that.) Backup Fullback: Curtis McClinton- 1966 Secondary Positions: Tight End(Reserve), Safety(Theoretical) -6'3 227. Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1962-69https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RbTNTISILOs/maxresdefault.jpg With three quality runners on board, there's not going to be much space left, if at all, for a fourth runner. That's fine with McClinton, as he's the best example of a "team player". Make no mistake, he was a solid runner when he had the chance, and was always a great pass catcher and blocker out of the backfield. It was just that superior runners tended to be acquired by the Chiefs which would lead to him being supplemented. First it was someone named Mack Lee Hill, who arrived in '64 and teamed up with Abner Haynes. Hill became the halfback in '65 when Haynes was traded to Denver, but would actually die on the operating table before the end of the season. After being the clear starter at Fullback for '66(culminating in him becoming the first AFL player to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl), he began to wane again, as guys like Wendell Haynes and Robert Holmes came into the fold alongside Mike Garrett. By '69, McClinton was only ever a blocker, backing up the Fullback and Tight End positions(his height helped there), participating on Special Teams, and even supposedly dabbling in Strong Safety on defense. The need for an extra blocker means we need McClinton more at his fullback spot. His presence at safety is theoretical at best. However, I'm comfortable with putting Curtis as a reserve Tight End because that was something Stram occasionally had him do well before '69. For fun, here's the frankenstein-like contraption Curtis wore on his helmet in '68 to protect a cheekbone injury! https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8562/30000600356_c766c868ce_b.jpg And here's the web page that gives more detail- along with a warning that the page is bright red and will probably hurt your eyes, which is something I wouldn't have said ten years ago! http://www.helmethut.com/Chiefs/McClinton.html Backup End: Lionel Taylor- 1963 -6'2 215. Chicago Bears: 1959/ Denver Broncos(AFL): 1960-66/ Houston Oilers(AFL): 1967-68https://i.pinimg.com/736x/09/9e/3c/099e3c3a83d1ccf2f2ca5e514b0f1919.jpg There's honestly only room for one more receiver on the roster, which means a good number of players are gonna be screwed. Lance Alworth, Don Maynard... they're more finesse speedsters that play a vertical game. Charley Hennigan knew lots of tricks in the book and would've been ideal for a foruth wideout spot if we could have arranged it. Others like George Sauer and Elbert Dubenion, or even Chris Burford, they rate in the above-average category, or in terms of World Class, "Unexceptional". That leaves Lionel. Guys like Lionel or Hennigan tend to have all their conversations focused on their stats. These two are the main guys that managed 100-catch seasons... and to be perfectly honest, 95% of the online discussion is about that particular landmark. That and Hennigan's 1700 yard season, which wasn't eclipsed for 34 years. It gets rather annoying after a while, because very little discusses their skills. The claim is that Lionel had the best hands in the league. Given that he was almost the entire offense for Denver during his time, which meant he always caught a lot of passes, this might be hyperbole. Still, his hands had to be good to catch everything that he did. The sorry state of the offense probably explains why he had such a poor yard average in a time when wideouts were expected to challenge for twenty-yards per catch. They didn't have the throwing arms or the pass protection to go deep very often and that left Taylor catching a lot of intermediate stuff at best. In short, he played the role of a possession receiver, the guy who catches the short stuff and moves the chains. Still, there's no evidence that he was lacking in the athleticism department, and with a stronger attack he may have been much closer to the greats of the era than he was. But as he is, Taylor's an ideal replacement at wideout, because there's a good chance he can replicate enough what Powell and Otis can do in the open field. Backup Tight End: Dave Kocourek- 1963 Secondary Positions: Flanker(Reserve) -6'5 240. Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers(AFL): 1960-65/ Miami Dolphins(AFL): 1966/ Oakland Raiders(AFL): 1967-68http://www.remembertheafl.com/images/LAChargersvsTitans700w_small1.jpg It's probably a waste to confine the 2nd best AFL TE to a backup role, even if this team follows the Chiefs model and that model includes a 2 TE set. Dave gets the nod for two specific reasons; one, despite being known as a receiving tight end he turns out to be a rock solid blocker(and a willing Special Teamster). And two, he spent his first two years at Flanker, giving the team a sort of proxy backup end should it be needed(though if this team is hampered at receiver they're just going to revert to the 2 TE and ram it down the opposition's throat). Backup Tackle: Winston Hill- 1968 -6'4 270. New York Jets(AFL): 1963-69/ New York Jets: 1970-76/ Los Angeles Rams: 1977https://cdn1.lockerdome.com/uploads/ccdbbaebbf31d41bfa947236327ac2b05bdff956cba8e368dcdd64c4fbfca050_large Hill's one of the more underrated AFL players, one whose accolades were scarce until the turn of the decade. The overall consensus was that Hill was the most complete Jet blocker, at the very least for his era. His run blocking was superb, but so was his ability to protect the passer, an excellent quality to have when you're protecting Joe Namath. He'd been described as "Graceful" on the field, closer to an artist than a pile driver. SB III was the pinnacle for Hill, though he was directly facing off with a 36-year old Odell Braase(The guy who had to take on the 6'7 Bubba Smith? Right Guard Dave Herman, who was shifted over to tackle for that specific game. Hill admits Herman's performance was far greater under the circumstances). Still, Hill kept his side of the line clean and dominated Braase at the point of attack, which was excellent as the Jets running game kept to the left to run from Bubba. He would actually switch over to Right Tackle in the 70's, which might imply a subtle erosion of agility over the years, but it also demonstrated a faith in his trenchwork and opening holes for runners. Backup Guard: Billy Shaw- 1964 -6'2 258. Buffalo Bills(AFL): 1961-69https://christianindex.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Shaw-pulls-Raiders.jpg That a Hall of Famer would be reduced to a backup role is always sacreligious. In Billy's case, the Left Side was solidified with Chiefs, and the Right Side was solidified with Chargers. If push came to shove, Shaw could probably take either guard spot on a pure talent measurement, but we're going with those pairings for now. That said, Billy's probably the best pulling guard from the AFL and hopefully that Team Captain label implies that he's a team player. Backup Center: Emil "EJ" Holub- 1969 Secondary Positions: Linebacker(Emergency), Long Snapper(Reserve) -6'4 236. Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1961-69/ Kansas City Chiefs: 1970http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/football-super-bowl-iv-kansas-city-chiefs-qb-len-dawson-calling-picture-id139021358?s=612x612 'Battle scarred' would be a good way to describe Holub, a two-way terror in College who became primarily a linebacker for the Chiefs and performed at that job for as long as he could, until knee and hamstring injuries forced him out of the starting lineup. Instead of wallowing on the bench, the Chiefs gave him the Center job in '68. Essentially, we want someone who was the likely signal caller for the offensive line, to give us a steady backup and an extra teaching source for Jim Otto. As for playing linebacker and special teams, that capacity is probably compromised. At most he could probably play in a Goal Line defense or purely as a Long Snapper. But there is potential; this is an intangibles guy who leads by example despite the pain. In an era where the Two-Way player vanished, he's the only guy who played in Super Bowls on both sides of the ball. That he did this during two separate games doesn't diminish the rarity of the achievement. Backup Defensive End: Jerry Mays- 1969 -6'4 252. Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1961-69/ Kansas City Chiefs: 1970https://i.pinimg.com/originals/43/4d/6e/434d6eca1a558b0b6d7f8b3e86fb761c.jpg Mays qualifies as one of the "Solid yet Unspectacular" types, which is good enough to net you a long career but usually not enough to merit such a lengthy amount of honors during said career. Mays defied the second part, usually being rated as the best or second-best at his spot in the league. Apart from being a Chief(which is a total bonus), Mays brings some versatility as he was initially a defensive tackle before being pushed out to end. In the 3-4 he would remain as an end on the lineup, which is honestly a slight bummer as having him as a potential linebacker would solve a bit of a nagging problem concerning who's backing up Rich Jackson. It's more likely we'll just shift Faison to the right edge if Tombstone goes down and put Mays in on his familiar left side. Backup Defensive Tackle: Ernie Ladd- 1964 -6'9 290. San Diego Chargers(AFL): 1961-65/ Houston Oilers(AFL): 1966-67/ Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1967-68http://www.remembertheafl.com/images/LaddNeighbors1963.jpg If it were simply about talent Ladd would be the starter at Left Defensive Tackle alongside Buck Buchanan. He played alongside Buck for two years with the Chiefs before he hung up his cleats. That and he'd be playing alongside Earl Faison, the other major member of San Diego's "Fearsome Foursome". Alas, some degree of concern over Ernie's motivation is warranted. He wasn't really lazy, he just didn't play mean. At his size, it's easy not to play that way when you can dominate fellow linemen with ease. Mark his spot on the depth chart behind Tom Sestak as... fluid. If he's motivated, pencil him in as the starter and the talent level on the defensive line spikes. As a backup, we'd probably still have him on a sort of rotation with Sestak and Buchanan, and see how much of a terror he could be blocking kicks and running on the bomb squads because the man was incredibly quick for his size(try blocking this behemoth in the open!), hence why he was dubbed "Big Cat". Ernie was also among the last of the genuine stars of Pro Football that doubled as a Pro Wrestler, making quite the bank as a memorable heel(wrestling slang for bad guy) all the way into the 80's(since it's more performance art than sport, it's fairly healthier). Afterwards, only the dropouts, retirees, and occasional guests would go into Wrestling. The majority of the most well-known wrestlers have a Football background to some degree. (As an example, John Cena, who played Center for Springfield University, a Division III College. He earned All-America honors there. And in case you were wondering why he didn't try for the Pros, he was too thin- I doubt he reached 250 pounds- and his arms were too short.) The biggest problem Ernie had was conflict with management, mostly towards Sid Gillman, whom he thought of as a tyrant who didn't understand human relationships and was a terrible negotiator. There's nothing to indicate that he had anything bad to say about Hank Stram, the one tidbit being just before SB IV. Ernie had retired after the prior season and was visiting the team. His hair and beard were made up for his heel persona, but that conflicted with Stram's conservative view towards personal grooming(which is an odd thing for a guy of innovation that he was), and had Ernie shave it off so he could be with the team on the sideline. Funny, it seemed to help the team relax and loosen up all the same. Backup Defensive Lineman: Henry Schmidt- 1961 -6'4 254. San Francisco 49ers: 1959-60/ San Diego Chargers(AFL): 1961-64/ Buffalo Bills(AFL): 1965/ New York Jets(AFL): 1966http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nzLbXZP6Vzo/TyLw1mWEHgI/AAAAAAAAAkY/TWmIVxXizFk/s1600/scan0006+%281024x821%29.jpg Schmidt's a decent enough backup, capable of playing Tackle or End. For a time he was a good rotational player for San Diego's "Fearsome Foursome", but based purely on his performance on defense he's not World-Class. His real skill is in Wedge-Busting. You probably don't know about Wedges. This was largely during Kickoff Returns, when a cluster of players would line up and charge forward in a Wedge shape, with the returner following close behind them. The Wedge wasn't maintained for the whole run, just enough enough to break open a hole for the returner to dash through. This was made illegal in recent years by forbidding the blockers to bunch up more than two people at once- the wedge led to a great many violent collisions and plenty of injuries would result. Those days, if you demonstrated some innate skill in eluding or even busting the wedge, you were likely to net a job in the NFL no matter how well you performed on the primary units. Whether Schmidt was the best is probably left up to the Diety- whatever the heck it is, but one major supporter for Schmidt was Paul Zimmerman, who included him on his All-Century Team(pure merit, of course) and recalled seeing him when he was a 49er his rookie year. He just crashed into the wedge and brought down the house, the returner included. He would see him again seven years later in '66, when he actually had a job covering the New York Jets. This time he saw a horribly broken down man who aged in dog years and was just about finished. It wasn't just the wear and tear of all those years; Jets linebacker Larry Grantham told Zimmerman that Schmidt had actually been nearsighted and just aimed at the largest mass of people he could see. Once someone fitted him with contact lenses for his eyes, he could see what was coming, and apparently, that was enough to take the edge off of his skill. The presumption is that those contact lenses didn't come around during Schmidt's first year in the AFL, so that's a plus. We could use a dedicated Special Teamster. Backup Linebacker: Sherrill Headrick- 1966 -6'2 240. Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1960-67/ Cincinnati Bengals(AFL): 1968https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/football-super-bowl-i-green-bay-packers-jim-taylor-in-action-rushing-picture-id82064215 Typically, when you choose a particular defense to emulate, you want to have the men who 'ran' that particular unit. The play-callers, the "QBs of the defense" if you will. Typically, said Play-Caller is either the starter on your team, or the key backup. It usually isn't both, but if there's such an opportunity, it's best not to waste it. Willie Lanier was an exception because he was an excellent ballplayer who ran this defense during SB IV. However, there was another player who came before him and knows the Chiefs defense rather well. That would be Headrick. Headrick was a student of the game and could diagnose defenses, and he was also swift enough to dodge most blockers, but it's the hellacious threshold for pain that everyone talks about. They called him "Psycho" because he would play after enduring some truly nasty injuries. He got the nickname for fracturing a neck vertebra in a Pre-Season game during his rookie year but continuing to play, even after learning of the severity of his injury! One time a finger bone broke out of the skin and he just popped it back into place without missing a play! Now that's a guy you want covering the bomb squads regardless of his status on the defense. Backup Linebacker: Mike Stratton- 1964 -6'3 224. Buffalo Bills(AFL): 1962-69/ Buffalo Bills: 1970-72/ San Diego Chargers: 1973https://cdn.sportsmemorabilia.com/sports-product-image/1-t9336258-.jpg Would have been the starting Right Linebacker had an exception not been made for George Webster. The best of the three linebackers that were considered the best unit in the AFL during the mid 60's, Stratton possesses the all-around talent you want in an outside linebacker; he has range(though he's not in Webster's league), he has pop, he could key on the pass or the run. No discernable weaknesses to speak of, but he simply had the misfortune of being supplemented by players who offered greater potential. At least we know he's an excellent replacement at either outside spot. Mike's really known for the AFL's version of the "Hit Heard 'Round the World", which took place during the '64 Championship against the Chargers. These Chargers had the year prior won the '63 title with an electrifying offense, and one of the big pieces was a "Fullback" named Keith Lincoln, who was really a Halfback playing out of position but was still too explosive for defenses. In the first quarter with San Diego leading 7-0, Tobin Rote(remember him?) threw a pass to Lincoln out in the flat, on Stratton's side of the field. Mike keyed on it perfectly, disrupting the pass and hitting Keith with such force that his rib was broken and had to be taken out of the game. Buffalo rolled on to win 20-7, largely off the momentum of that tackle. Backup Cornerback: Leslie "Speedy" Duncan- 1965 Secondary Positions: Kick Returner(Primary), Punt Returner(Primary) -5'10 180. San Diego Chargers(AFL): 1964-69/ San Diego Chargers: 1970/ Washington Redskins: 1971-74https://i.pinimg.com/736x/c2/59/69/c25969400f53cce31484dee168230730.jpg Speedy's sort of a hidden gem. Probably best all-around returner in the AFL(his true specialty was punt returning), he also had a five-year stretch where he doubled as a starting cornerback for the Chargers, though this was well after the salad days of Faison and Ladd and so the defenses were probed more than your typical alien abductee. It's a given that Speedy's recovery would be great(after all, he's nicknamed Speedy), but he was taught the Bump and Run while with the Chargers, which is a benefit to us because if Willie Brown or Butch Byrd were to go down, we don't have to alter the defensive game plan as much. Backup Cornerback/Safety: Dave Grayson- 1968 Secondary Positions: Kick Returner(Alternate) -5'10 187. Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs(AFL): 1961-64/ Oakland Raiders(AFL): 1965-69/ Oakland Raiders: 1970https://jimjax4.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/dave-graysonryreyr.jpg Dave's time in Oakland was spent in a sort of flux. He spent the first two seasons with the Raiders doing what he did with the Chiefs at the Right Corner. Why he was traded to Oakland is not known(either he wasn't much of a hitter, or it was the same thing as Abner Haynes- he was part of the '64 All Star Game). Anyway, when Willie Brown was brought in, Grayson occupied a rather enigmatic role as a backup corner to Brown and Kent McCloughan. This lasted until '68 when Dave was inserted at Right Safety, where he would ride out his career. Supposedly Grayson knew Bump and Run. Alright, I'll buy that. Nevertheless, he occupies a rather unique role on the defense; he's going to be the designated Nickelback when or if the team has to defend deep. Otherwise he's the backup right safety(his range is superior to George Saimes or any of the other safeties that have been brought on board) and he's part of the cornerback rotation. Backup Safety: Kenny Graham- 1968 -6'0 210. San Diego Chargers(AFL): 1964-69/ Cincinnati Bengals: 1970/ Pittsburgh Steelers: 1970https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/bakersfield.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/10/210b7bc5-f8be-5a06-9702-4c1991741818/57cf2fecc2b9c.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C1492 Much like the NFL team having Richie Petitbon, this AFL team needs a dedicated "Strong Safety" on the roster, and the guy who best fit that bill is Graham. Comparisons have been made to Rodney Harrison in terms of his prowess as a safety and the general consensus was Kenny hit like a freight train. That's excellent if it turns out Saimes cannot handle defending on the strong side, and even more so on the coverage units. That's not to say he was a liability beyond making big hits- his 25 career interceptions imply that he was a solid ball hawk in his own right. The Discarded: With less teams in the AFL overall(there was a reason the merger tossed three NFL Clubs into their conference), there are less players that didn't make the squad but warranted some words or do about their exclusion. However, there are several amongst them that quite frankly, most would call utterly unfair. These may be some tough pills to swallow. Quarterback is the most loaded of the positions, mainly because high-octane offenses were necessary to sell tickets and drum up interest, and many AFL QBs either threw consistent deep balls or they didn't last very long. The most controversial exclusion has to be Joe Namath. Broadway Joe simply had the best arm of the AFL(summed up this way; until '73 the hashmarks were wider, and the only two quarterbacks at the time who could complete an 'out' pass to the opposite side of the field from one of the hashmarks were Joe and Roman Gabriel) and a flamboyant personality that would be pure cinema under the stakes of Alien Domination. Ultimately, I went with Hank Stram's system, as it worked the best, and that meant going with Len Dawson if I didn't want any hiccups. I didn't want to find out whether Namath could master such a system in the training time we have allotted for the team. I also didn't want to deal with the inevitable controversy that the media and fans will drum up about who should be running this team if I put Namath in as a backup. This is much the same bellyaching that would arise if I had Johnny Unitas backing up Bart Starr. You would no doubt think of my reasoning as a bunch of excrement, chalking up my concerns as "getting too cute". And yeah, you're probably right. Nevertheless, this is my choice. As for the rest of the gunslingers, their exclusions were significantly easier. George Blanda would've made good kicker insurance but Jan Stenerud is a pure kicker and is less likely to be injured, and shockingly we have an emergency fill-in already; Cookie Gilchrist, who partook in placekicking during his rookie year. John Hadl like Daryle Lamonica dabbled as a punter, but ultimately Lamonica's role as a relief Quarterback gave him the nod. Everyone else did not have a niche and still couldn't overcome Lamonica as the backup. Jack Kemp, Babe Parilli(actually the Jets backup in SB III), Tom Flores... none of them could bring enough to the table to make the roster. The Halfbacks are shockingly shallow. Mike Garret was unqualified, but his presence as one of the top ground gainers during the Super-Bowl era of the AFL dictated he be considered anyway. He was an undersized slasher who became adept at catching passes and throwing blocks. He just wasn't head and shoulders above anyone in terms of talent. Paul Lowe of the Chargers was one half of an electric backfield during the early 60's but wasn't used too much as a receiver or as a kick returner, which nudged him out. Billy Cannon was in truth the first major collegiate star to spurn the NFL for the AFL, and for a couple of years he was a viable halfback for the Oilers. But eventually his legs betrayed him and he had a second career as a Tight End who could be explosive in the right system. Still though, lack of health as a halfback and a somewhat niche role as a tight end nudged him out too. The fullbacks are more numerous. Jim Nance of the Patriots was a battering ram of a fullback, albeit one who didn't do much else. Matt Snell was the second best FB in the pool, all things considered, and had I shied away from Cookie, he would've been the pick at Fullback. Keith Lincoln was "technically" a fullback, but in truth, he was a second halfback in San Diego's offense that benefitted from the wide-open gameplan. Others of note were Wray Carlton and Bill Mathis(rugged hybrid runners), and Charley Tolar(5'6 and ran like a downhill bowling ball). In short, Cookie was too explosive and McClintock had too many intangibles. You can't discuss wideouts in this league without Lance Alworth, who was nicknamed "Bambi" and ran like a deer. He was one of the precious few players in the league who was excellent at the start and at the end of it. He had a fantastic capacity to- despite a pedestrian lift- jump inthe air and come down with the ball. He had Grace and Poise coming out of his pants... but ultimately, his athleticism was short of the others. Art Powell, Otis Taylor, Lionel Taylor... all were bigger and stronger, and all of them had moves- Lance didn't learn his until teams started double-covering him. To top things off, his presence as the all-important wideout took him out of any other secondary role that would've benefitted him on this roster; he was only briefly a punt returner, and then not very memorable. He, typical of starting wideouts, did not partake in special teams. This kept him from being a 4th wideout on the roster, in favor of someone who did more work elsewhere. As for the remainder, you already know of Charley Hennigan. Don Maynard was a Jets mainstay, essentially a lesser Lance Alworth, which made him very valuable when Namath arrived on the scene. Sadly, a nagging injury turned Don into a decoy during SB III, robbing him of a chance for major notoriety. Fred Biletnikoff arrived in the later half of the decade and became known as a possession receiver; average speed, decent moves, great hands(though, it's unknown if there were any years where he didn't use Stickum on his hands and arms). Elbert Dubenion was called "Golden Wheels", but apart from an astonishing '64 season where he averaged 27.1 yards per catch, he toiled on a number of run-first Bills teams. George Sauer was Maynard's partner during the Namath years, but he wasn't Art Powell. He was a somewhat lesser Don Maynard; not as swift, used more as an intermediate receiver. Gino Cappelletti's value was really only ever tied to his placekicking work. Unfortunately he was average that that, and it took away from his performance at receiver(he would be benched on third downs to save his legs for a field goal try). Guys like Chris Burford and Frank Pitts came from the Chiefs. Burford was more the tall possession receiver. Pitts was the speedster. Niether achieved much recognition and were soon overshadowed by Otis Taylor. Tight Ends are scarce, mostly because they didn't offer much that warranted discussion. Decent receivers, solid blockers... a lot of ho-hum. Sort of. If I were to guess, I'd say the most dangerous Tight End left(other than an unqualified Bob Trumpy) was Willie Frazier, who may or may not have spent some time at the other wideout positions as well as Tight End. The best blocker left(and maybe the best overall) is Paul Costa of Buffalo. How good was he? Good enough to be switched over to Right Tackle in '69(at 260 pounds he had the size for it). The best offensive linemen left are Bob Talamini, Jon Morris, and Gene Upshaw. Upshaw's unqualified, and he's coasting a bit more on natural talent than experience, but his athleticism is above Talamini, who nevertheless had a strong career in Houston that ended with the Jets, where he partook in SB III. Jon Morris was the second best center in the league and lost out on a spot simply because it seemed prudent to have a Chiefs signal caller in the backup spot. Dave Herman warrants mention just for the yeoman's job he did against Bubba Smith in SB III. After that you have the B-Listers. Stew Barber at Left Tackle for Buffalo. Wayne Hawkins, who moved about from left guard to right guard through the decade, and Harry Schuh, who tied down the strong side for Oakland. Chiefs of note would be Center Jon Gilliam and Right Tackle Dave Hill. On the defensive side, much of the immense size has been plucked away, leaving the hardened grapplers. The best of the lot is Houston Antwine, a stalwart of the Patriots who was just narrowly nudged out by Ernie Ladd. Gerry Philbin is the best defensive end available, though undersized. Just behind him is Ron McDole, called the "Dancing Bear". He was more a finesse player despite weighing 290 pounds, was actually capable of dropping back into a linebacker position, and was one of the best kick blockers of his time(he did it simply by out-working blockers who treated kicks and the like as time to rest on the field). Bud McFadin was the best interior linemen for the first few years of the AFL. Apart from him, the only notable players at tackle are a trio of unqualified men in Curley Culp, Tom Keating, and John Elliot. Both had experience playing over center in the stunt formations. Elliot has no such reputation, but he was part of the Jets during SB III. We've gone over the applicants at Right End when we discussed Tombstone Jackson. Nick Buoniconti headlines the linebackers. In short, he was screwed by the Chiefs system on defense- largely for the same reasons Namath got screwed by the offensive system. That and Willie Lanier was definitely above him in terms of talent. If it came down to it, one could see him as the backup instead of Sherrill Headrick, but I went with the preservation of the system and I figured the two were a push when it came to the intangibles needed for Special Teams. Larry Grantham of New York would be the second best of what's left, though slightly undersized. Form here you have the remnants of the Buffalo corps in Harry Jacobs and Tom Tracey, with Jacobs being an underrated signal caller for the defense. Guys like Dan Connors and Gus Otto from Oakland are in the next tier, as is a longtime AFL player in Archie Mastos. The most notable secondary man is an unqualified one; Emmitt Thomas played cornerback for the Chiefs and was a starter in SB IV. He was most certainly great at his job, but ultimately he wasn't overwhelmingly better than Butch Byrd to justify giving him an exemption. After that you had a number of safeties; Austin "Goose" Gonsoulin, who was one of the early AFL stars and toiled for the Broncos. Jim Norton, who was a highly capable ballhawk in Houston that doubled as the punter(ultimately he didn't make the team because the punting duties left him without a role on those same units on this team). Bobby Hunt, Johnny Robinson's original partner in the secondary. Then some of the Cornerbacks such as Miller Farr, Richard Westmoreland, Booker Edgerson, and the Hammer himself, Fred Williamson. Role players included Bobby Jancik, one of the top returners in the league. There are three pure kickers worth mentioning. Jim Turner played for the Jets during the 60's and actually had a late surge of efficiency, putting up numbers that were fairly close to Stenerud's. About the only thing he didn't have was the range. Mike Mercer was tossed around between Oakland, Kansas City, and Buffalo. Otherwise his numbers were fairly pedestrian. Gene Mingo is a rarity in that while he was a running back, he was one of the few Black Kickers in the history of the NFL(well, AFL in this case). Still, his career was spotty, with a Good Half and a Bad Half. Sadly, his utility isn't all that worthwhile as he was more a kicker than a runner and not the other way around. The only Punter that matters is Jerrell Wilson, or "Thunderfoot" as he was known by. His leg was certainly powerful enough- in fact, he's a hot competitor in the 70's for a field that is supposed to have a clear-cut King at this position. The things was he got blocked an awful lot. Well, not so much in the AFL- only four times. He would collect eight more in the next decade, though this probably coincided with the Chiefs' fall to mediocrity. He lost out here because he didn't have the utility that Paul Maguire did as a linebacker. The Scrimmagers: All the rules of this section apply here. You should know them by now. 1960's AFL All-Decade Remainers: Head Coach: Wilbur "Weeb" Ewbank- 1968 Key Assistant: Clive Rush- 1968(Offensive Coordinator) Key Assistant: Walt Michaels- 1968(Defensive Coordinator/LB/DB) Key Assistant: Joe Spencer- 1968(OL Coach) Key Assistant: James "Buddy" Ryan- 1968(DL Coach) Offense: Pro-Set Defense: 4-3(3-4 Subset) Offense QB: Joe Namath- 1968 HB: Mike Garrett- 1969 FB: Matt Snell- 1968 SE: Don Maynard- 1967(Slightly Off-Position) FL: Lance Alworth- 1968 TE: Bob Trumpy- 1969 LT: Stewart "Stew" Barber- 1964 LG: Gene Upshaw- 1969 C: Jon Morris- 1966 RG: Dave Herman- 1968 RT: Harry Schuh- 1969 LDE: Gerry Philbin- 1968 LDT: Curley Culp- 1969 RDT: Houston Antwine- 1966 RDE: Ben Davidson- 1967 LLB: Jim Lynch- 1969(Off-Position) MLB: Nick Buoniconti- 1966 RLB: Larry Grantham- 1968 LCB: Miller Farr- 1967 LS: Ken Houston- 1969 RS: Bobby Hunt- 1966(Slightly Off-Position) RCB: Emmitt Thomas- 1969Bench PK: Jim Turner- 1968 P: Jerrell Wilson- 1969 QB: George Blanda- 1961 HB: Floyd Little- 1968(KR/PR) FB: Larry Garron- 1966 WR: Charley Hennigan- 1961 WR: George Sauer- 1968 TE: Paul Costa- 1967 T: Ernie Wright- 1963 G: Bob Talamini- 1963 DE: Ron McDole- 1965 DT: Tom Keating- 1967 LB: Harry Jacobs- 1965 LB: John Tracey- 1965 CB: Booker Edgerson- 1965 CB: Bobby Jancik- 1963(KR) S: Austin "Goose" Gonsoulin- 1962 S: Jim Norton- 1963 The staff come from the '68 New York Jets. You may recognize Buddy Ryan, whom will be a major consideration on coaching staffs for the next couple of decades... and for that matter, so will his sons. The style of the team is sort of a hybrid, meant to reflect the normal high octane offense the Jets ran once Namath came into his own, but also the more conservative playstyle that the Jets utilized in SB III. The defense is more of the Jets norm of this time, which wasn't especially unique but was effective. Apart from the vertical stretching, this team has a talent and a playstyle closer to the NFL standard. The one flaw in the offense might be the wideouts; I'm not sure if Don Maynard can work with the decreased space he can move in at Split End, but he's the starter because of his connection to Namath. Of the people not mentioned in the discarded list; Miller Farr was an effective cornerback for a few years in Houston, playing alongside Left Safety Ken Houston- who will be much better known in the next decade. Larry Garron is another hybrid back that lined up at both positions, ran some, returned some, caught some... and lead blocked for Jim Nance when he was called upon. Pretty good resume for a backup fullback expected to ba an intangibles guy. He took to Martial arts after his career ended, and by all accounts he did really well at it. Ernie Wright was a stalwart for the Chargers but never got anywhere near the reputation of Ron Mix. Still, he's a big guy and could back up both Tackle spots. Booker Edgerson is a long-lasting cornerback for the Bills, who might not have had the peak of Butch Byrd but was still a highly respected veteran of the team. Final Tidbits: This is going to be quick and dirty. There's very little here that you didn't learn about with the NFL Team. Stadium Venue: Kansas City Municipal Stadium Training Camp: William Jewell College(Liberty, Missouri) Like the NFL, this arrangement is just for the Scrimmage. The Venue will host one of the NFL-AFL Games. The AFL started out with ABC but switched over to NBC by 1965. Television Broadcast: NBC Play-by-Play Commentator: Curt Gowdy Color Commentator: Paul Christman Unlike the NFL, the AFL didn't bother with bringing in the radio broadcasters for the championship teams, instead assembling a two-man crew for commentary. This is the pairing that commentated the championship games the most during this decade. Sideline reporters were sporadic; we won't bother to add one in this case. Same deal as the NFL crew. I apologize if the last quarter or so seemed rushed or disoriented. The matchup between the NFL and AFL should be up in the next few days, if not tomorrow. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zycho32 Posted September 16, 2019 Author Share Posted September 16, 2019 (edited) The NFL 1960's All-Decade Team vs The AFL All-Decade Team: Best-of-Five series, which would guarantee a minimum of four tune-ups for the victor. Given that NFL teams have never ever done a best-of format, this can admittedly be a drag for those watching, those commentating, and perhaps those playing. The Games: The inclusion of NFL and AFL broadcasting teams requires something a bit more complicated than what was arranged during the 1940's. Thankfully for the first four games, we can rely upon a back-and-forth format. Game 1: Stadium: Lambeau Field(Green Bay, Wisconsin) Television Broadcast: CBS Play-by-Play Commentator: Ray Scott(first half) and Jack Buck(second half) Color Commentator: Frank Gifford Sideline Reporter: Tom Brookshier Game 2: Stadium: Kansas City Municipal Stadium(Kansas City, MO) Television Broadcast: NBC Play-by-Play Commentator: Curt Gowdy Color Commentator: Paul Christman Then we head to New York. Game 3: Stadium: Yankee Stadium(New York City, New York) Television Broadcast: CBS Play-by-Play Commentator: Ray Scott(first half) and Jack Buck(second half) Color Commentator: Frank Gifford Sideline Reporter: Tom Brookshier Game 4(If Necessary): Stadium: Shea Stadium(New York City, New York) Television Broadcast: NBC Play-by-Play Commentator: Curt Gowdy Color Commentator: Paul Christman The Fifth Game, should it come down to that, needs to be in a presumably neutral venue. The NFL and AFL did start off sharing two venues; the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The LA venue was used by the Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers... then the Chargers moved to San Diego. The Dallas Texans stayed at the Cotton Bowl for three years before moving to Kansas City. Thankfully we have an out of the way solution; Game 5(If Necessary): Stadium: Soldier Field(Chicago, Illinois) Television Broadcast: CBS/NBC CBS Play-by-Play Commentator: Ray Scott(first half) and Jack Buck(second half) Color Commentator: Frank Gifford Sideline Reporter: Tom Brookshier NBC Play-by-Play Commentator: Curt Gowdy Color Commentator: Paul Christman The Chicago Bears played in Wrigley Field during their first fifty years of existence in Chicago, but Soldier Field was built in 1924, originally as a memorial to fallen Soldiers who died in combat. Until 1971, it would see use primarily for the best In-State High School matches, extraordinary Collegiate games, and All-Star games of both the Amateur and Professional variety. One such game was the annual College All-Star Game, where the NFL Champions faced off against a group of College All-Stars in an exhibition. Professionally, it did house the Chicago Cardinals in 1959, just before they moved to St. Louis. As for the AFL, their involvement in this stadium was in the College All-Star game, thanks to their victories in SB III and SB IV. Granted, Chicago is Bear Country, and therefore NFL territory, but at the end of the decade, Soldier Field was not used by any professional outfit. That's good for a decisive Game Five. The Broadcast teams are working under the same format as in SB I, when both networks broadcast the game simultaneously. The catch was only the CBS Cameras could be used to capture the action, but that's basically nitpicking. Afterwards, the networks agreed to alternate Super Bowls. So Who Wins?: This is one where I actually don't want to say. The pragmatist conflicts with the homer. The greatest What-if matchup of the decade has to be San Diego versus Chicago in '63, if only because of the dire contrast in play style and the idea that this would've been the first year where an AFL Champ could beat an NFL Champ. However, once you separate years from consideration, and can mix and match the best teams across the decade, then the arguments get juicier. How about instead of facing '63 Chicago, '63 San Diego faces '62 Green Bay? Or, how about '66 Green Bay facing '69 Kansas City? This is where the homer in me starts screaming in agony because I don't enjoy for one minute the idea of a Packers team losing. Somebody actually made a What-If about Super Bowl matches from '61 to '65, and I devoured that book until Buffalo beat Green Bay in '65, where I promptly buried that blasphemous text in the pits of Hades. '66 Packers versus '69 Chiefs is the main matchup to consider, as the NFL and AFL teams are based around those two franchises as cornerstones. '66 Kansas City wasn't quite ready in SB I, but by SB IV they were considerably upgraded, but while they vanquished an imitation of the Green Bay style in the Minnesota Vikings, it was still a pale imitation. With an upgraded backfield and a greater discipline with the run, could the Chiefs punch through the Packers defense? Could their vastly improved linebackers and secondary hold up against a stronger passing attack? Could their bolstered line snuff out the vaunted Lombardi running game? I'll just say this likely goes to a Game Five. Beyond that, I refuse to say more. But What About a Unified Team?: Yay. More headaches. The presumption is that this is an NFL-controlled team, including the Coaching Staff. The reason is I have my doubts that the AFL would permit NFL players to be added to their roster, while the NFL might be induced to include some AFL players to the overall roster. We are also doing away with all Exceptions on the AFL side. As best as I can tell, only five AFL players would make the starting lineups; Jim Tyrer at Left Tackle(pushing Jim Parker to Left Guard), Jim Otto at Center, Bobby Bell(moved to Right Linebacker), Willie Brown(moved to Right Cornerback), and Johnny Robinson(moved to Left Safety). As for backups, Len Dawson would become the backup QB almost by default. Art Powell and Otis Taylor would likely be thrown in as the backup wideouts though they are one of several potential 'reaches' that could take a starting spot under the right circumstances. Billy Shaw backs up the Guards. Ron Mix backs up the Tackles. Buck Buchanan is the backup Defensive Tackle, though he could push out either Merlin Olsen or Bob Lilly as a starter. Mike Stratton, Dave Grayson, and Kenny Graham could be selected over their NFL peers. Paul Maguire might have a spot as an extra punter/Special Teamster. As to the NFL Starters bumped off, the likeliest players to rebound and still make the roster would be Chuck Howley, Jimmy Johnson, and Mel Renfro, but then again these are pushes rather than definitives. The Final Game: Stadium Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum(Los Angeles, California) Television Broadcast: CBS/NBC/ABC Play-by-Play Commentator: Jack Buck Color Commentator: Pat Summerall Sideline Reporters: Frank Gifford/Jack Whitaker There were three venues that hosted Super Bowls before the merger; the others were the Orange Bowl in Miami and Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. Of the bunch, I would imagine Los Angeles to be the drier and therefore more comfortable place to play. This is the crew that commentated during SB IV, and it was actually a little surprising to hear Pat with such a young voice(especially if your only prior experience of the man was when he played the straight guy to John Madden and was just a tad slower). CBS was the sole broadcaster that time, but you may as well let NBC air it too, and while you're at it throw a bone to ABC as well. And I am officially pleased that I don't have to worry about putting together another decade where the NFL has to take on a competing league before the aliens. The WFL and USFL and WLAF and NFL Europe and the XFL and the NEW XFL and the AAF, they can all go pound sand. Now we go to warp speed as the Seventies beckons. Groovy! Edited September 16, 2019 by Zycho32 Forgot the freakin' Babushka Doll effect... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zycho32 Posted November 7, 2019 Author Share Posted November 7, 2019 The 1970's All-Decade Team: Team Roster- The Cliff's Notes Version: Head Coach: Chuck Noll- 1978 Key Assistant: Leon "Bud" Carson- 1979(Defensive Coordinator/DB Coach) Key Assistant: Richard Hoak- 1979(RB Coach) Key Assistant: Lionel Taylor- 1979(WR Coach) Key Assistant: Dan Radakovich- 1979(OL Coach) Key Assistant: George Perles- 1978(DL Coach) Key Assistant: Woody Widenhofer- 1978(LB Coach/Assistant DB Coach) Key Assistant: Louis Riecke- 1979(Strength and Conditioning) Key Assistant: Paul Uram- 1979(K Coach/Flexibility) Key Assistant: Bill Belichick- 1979(ST Coach) Key Assistant: Ermal Allen- 1979(Research and Development) Offensive Style: Pro-Set Defensive Style: 4-3 Starting Quarterback: Terry Bradshaw- 1979 Starting Runningback: Walter Payton- 1977 Starting Fullback: Franco Harris- 1974 Starting Wide Receiver: Lynn Swann- 1978 Starting Wide Receiver: Paul Warfield- 1971 Starting Tight End: Dave Capser- 1976 Starting Left Tackle: Art Shell- 1976 Starting Left Guard: Gene Upshaw- 1976 Starting Center: Mike Webster- 1979 Starting Right Guard: Joe DeLamielleure- 1975 Starting Right Tackle: Rayfield Wright- 1975 Starting Left Defensive End: L.C. Greenwood- 1975 Starting Left Defensive Tackle: Joe Greene- 1974 Starting Right Defensive Tackle: Ernie Holmes- 1975 Starting Right Defensive End: Dwight White- 1975 Starting Left Linebacker: Jack Ham- 1978 Starting Middle Linebacker: Jack Lambert- 1979 Starting Right Linebacker: Ted Hendricks- 1974(Off-Position) Starting Left Cornerback: Louis Wright- 1979 Starting Strong Safety: Ken Houston- 1973 Starting Free Safety: Mike Wagner- 1976(Off-Position) Starting Right Cornerback: Mel Blount- 1979 Placekicker: Mark Moseley- 1979 Punter: Ray Guy- 1979Backup Quarterback: Joe Theismann- 1979 Backup Runningback: Terry Metcalf- 1975 Backup Runningback/Fullback: MacArthur Lane- 1972 Backup Runningback/Tight End: Warren Bankston- 1974 Backup Wide Receiver: John Stallworth- 1979 Backup Wide Receiver: Rick Upchurch- 1976 Backup Tight End: Bob Klein- 1974 Backup Tackle: Jon Kolb- 1976 Backup Guard: Sam Davis- 1976 Backup Center: Rich Saul- 1975 Backup Defensive End: Tommy Hart- 1976 Backup Defensive Tackle: Larry Brooks- 1977 Backup Defensive Tackle: Jerry Sherk- 1976 Backup Linebacker: Randy Gradishar- 1978 Backup Linebacker: Matt Blair- 1976 Backup Linebacker: Andy Russell- 1974 Backup Linebacker: Russell "Rusty" Tillman- 1975 Backup Cornerback: James "J.T." Thomas- 1976 Backup Cornerback: Curtis Johnson- 1972 Backup Safety: Donnie Shell- 1978 Backup Safety: Thomas "Thom" Darden- 1978 The Rules: 1978. That's the crucial year of the decade. The saga of the evolving passing game is worth glossing over. In the beginning, forward passing was, while technically legal, also heavily shackled by all sorts of ludicrous-looking rules and a general impression that to throw the ball was considered unmanly. Still, teams would employ the move on occasion, with some teams doing it far more than most. Al Mahrt of the Dayton Triangles was probably the first 'ahead of the pack' passer in the history of the NFL. Earl "Curly" Lambeau of the Green Bay Packers led one of the most aggressive passing teams of its time, averaging about twenty attempts a game when some teams struggled to complete that many passes in an entire season. Then there was Benny Friedman, the NFL's first truly excellent passer of the "fat ball" era, and the first to throw 20 TD passes in a season. By 1934, the numerous rules that handcuffed the forward pass were largely removed and the air attack gained extra prominence. Arnie Herber was the foremost passer in the first half of the 1930's, and with the arrival of Don Hutson in 1935, the era of the Split Ends began. Soon legit receivers were joining the ranks and taking passes from guys like Sammy Baugh and Sid Luckman, though the running game continued to be dominant. Paul Brown and Otto Graham of the Cleveland Browns ushered in a new era by the end of the 1940's; one that eventually forced out the T-Formation and brought in the Pro Set and all its variations. The use of Free Substitution eliminated the need for all-around athletes at Quarterback and Receiver, leading to greater specialists. Graham and Bobby Layne and Johnny Unitas led the charge through the 50's until offenses started to become largely interchangeable in the NFL. The rival AFL would bring about the next innovation, more for their High Octane offenses and the burning need to go deep to create a fan base. By the 1970's the leagues had merged and everything was in place for an offensive renaissance. There was just one last obstacle to overcome. With the addition of Free Substitution came defensive specialists. Among them were the secondary players; essentially the backups to the main linemen like in the old days of six and seven-man lines. It took cornerbacks a while to catch up to their offensive counterparts, hindered by College Football continuing to utilize the two-way system into the beginning of the 1960's. Apart from someone like "Night Train" Lane, anybody who could play in the secondary that was extremely talented was often moved to offense, because they played both ways in high school or college and were not bracketed into positions the way athletes are today. Lane and some great Safeties were the mainstays in pass defense during the 50's, with undersized(and yes, often white) remainders filling out the spots. Eventually, a tactic was evolved to combat their "betters" on the offensive end; the Bump and Run. See, passing beyond the Hail Marys requires timing. The Quarterback must get the ball to a certain spot and the receiver must get to that spot at the same time as the ball does. This is harder than it looks to someone who might be weaned in playground rules where the QB is left alone to throw at his leisure. The pace is much faster and there are defenders trying to get to you, so you don't have all the time in the world on any given play to make the pass, so you and your receivers practice so you can hit precise routes in the span of just a few seconds. So try this; you and your main receiver have a basic slant route that you've worked on, it's a crucial play where you must convert in the face of an awful pass rush or your team goes home losers. The ball is hiked, you back up about three steps and look immediately to the hole where you always find your receiver to be and chuck it.... only he doesn't show up. The pass isn't converted, or worse, intercepted. You go home. Later, you review the tapes to find out what happened... only you discover your receiver barely got a yard or two past the line of scrimmage before the cornerback assigned to him nails him and puts him down on the ground. This is legal. And so is all other kinds of contact even if the receiver manages to get past the line of scrimmage. The secondary can not only disrupt your timing by fouling it up with contact, but if they can keep up with the receiver they can keep that contact up and prevent him from catching passes. Sure, you can draw penalties for some really and truly excessive stuff done, but for the most part the secondary has a free reign over the wideouts well into the 70's. By then the cornerbacks and safeties are vastly improved over their counterparts a decade or so prior and offenses start to stagnate in what was known as the NFL's Dead Ball era. Through the first half of the 70's, you didn't go anywhere without a key running game, though some offenses like Minnesota and Dallas were more inclined to air it out. In 1974, receivers could only be contacted once by defenders beyond three yards from scrimmage. This didn't stop the scrimmage bumping, nor did it stop contact as the pass arrived. Three years later in '77 this was changed to defenders only being allowed to contact the receivers once, period. Again, smart and selective defenders can still foul up passes just before they are caught. This brings us to '78. This time, defenders can only contact receivers up to five yards beyond the line of scrimmage. After that, they must be hands-off. This was the catalyst. Catches were made easier by imposing pass interference penalties on such deep bumps, crippling the secondaries overnight. Of course, it took a little while for offenses to catch on but the stage was set for the 80's, when passing attacks started to take over the offensive landscape. This is the key rule as it largely effects secondaries in two end years('78 and '79), and to a lesser extent the passers and receivers. It's practically ideal to have a QB that has actually played under those rules and knows how to adjust to them. WRs and TEs are a bit more flexible, as they have no restrictions placed upon them, other than a prohibition of 'clipping' defenders that was imposed in '77(that basically means you can't go for their legs or under their waist from behind). Offensive Linemen got a boost in '78 as well, as they were permitted to use their arms and open hands to block. While selecting linemen who played in '78 and '79 sounds ideal, I'm placing the OL in the same category as the WR and TE; they're flexible enough that you can select them from earlier years and teach them the new rules. As for the other rules; -The hashmarks were moved inside to their present-day locations in 1972. This has mostly eliminated short-side fields for the offense(apart from the wideouts), and since the hashmarks are now aligned with the goalposts, there are less severe angles for kickers to make their tries(though kicking from a hashmark that's the same side as your kicking foot can still be a bit of a chore). -Speaking of kickers, the Goal Posts were moved from the goal line to the back of the end zone in 1974. Did largely forced field goals to be moved in ten yards or so on average(for instance a 63 yard field goal these days would be attempted from just back midfield as opposed to deep into your own territory. This also prevented random injuries from collisions with the post and decreased the chance of passes being deflected off the posts themselves. If a field goal is missed, the defense can take the ball either on the 20 or the line of scrimmage of the field goal attempt, whichever is farthest. In '71 missed field goals were allowed to be run back, which meant you could place returners that could catch kicks that didn't manage to sail past the end boundary of the end zone. This was largely when kicks were drastically short, even before the '74 movement of the goal posts. In '72 this was elaborated on by permitting the ball to be advanced beyond the defending teams goal line on a missed FG or even a punt(before this was an automatic touchback). -Also, defenders cannot jump on or stand on a teammate to block a kick. This was enforced in '73. -Kickoffs were moved from the 40-yard line to the 35-yard line in '74. This was to promote more excitement with kickoff returns(kickers weren't yet strong enough to frequently boot touchbacks at this range) -Also in '74, players on the punting team were prohibited from advancing downfield, with an exception given to the player at the farthest end of each side of the snapper. These players would come to be known as "Gunners" and even to this day a speedy guy with little comparative skills can make a name for himself by excelling as a gunner, whether by making jarring tackles or saving the ball just before it crosses the goal line and becomes a touchback. This also led to a "live era" for Punt Returners, who got more space to work with and Punters were largely forced to alter their games accordingly. -Defenders were neutralized in other ways apart from the Pass Interference rules of '78. Facemask grabbing was rendered totally illegal in '76. The "Ben Davidson Rule" was also put into effect that year, which prohibited defenders from running or diving into a ball carrier who fell to the ground untouched and does not attempt to advance- named after Davidson who injured Len Dawson in '70 on such a play. Also outlawed was the head slap in '77. Contact above the shoulders was for the most part prohibited by '77. -Of a historical footnote in '78 was a ruling that double-touching a forward pass is legal(except when batting the ball towards the opponent's end zone), this is relevant for two reasons; one being the Immaculate Reception(which you guys must have known about, and if you don't look up the NFL Top 100 Plays that just came out; it's #1 on the list) in the '72 Playoffs between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders that made Franco Harris basically "Immaculate". The other is a double-tipped pass in SB V that went to John Mackey for the best touchdown of the day. In both instances, it was illegal for a forward pass to be touched by two different offensive players, but both instances were ruled that the ball touched a defender in the process, which made them both legal plays. This just cleared out the confusion. The Coaches and Strategies: There are five championship teams from the 1970's. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, and the Baltimore Colts. Any foundation, either in the coaching staff or the player roster, needs to come from at least one of these champions. Thankfully, the process is made easier due to the Steelers not only winning more Super Bowls than anyone else, but also winning the last two years of the decade. Those titles correspond with the Pass Interference rules set up in '78, which is a more obvious barrier separating the later years from the earlier years than in most decades. In addition, there was the presence of Chuck Noll. Noll was discussed briefly in the prior decade. In truth, he got a bum rap. He should've been on the AFL Staff as a DB Coach(he was good enough for the spot even with an emphasis on an All-Chiefs Staff for the AFL Team), but I exceptioned him to the NFL. Not for the actual team staff(again, he was good enough to be slotted in with Lombardi and the other Packers coaches), but for the Remainders. My rank amateurism failed to find sufficient records of coaching staffs outside of the Championship teams, which actually left me with an utter dearth of people who could coach the DBs. But clearly I'm digressing. The word to describe Noll is "teacher". He wasn't the motivational type like Lombardi. You can't really say he was an Xs and Os innovator- the best innovations made by the Steelers were created by the coaches underneath him. His best skill was development; not just creating a great player out of raw material but great men as well. Level-headed, without an ego to stroke during his heyday, Noll dodged most pitfalls that doom coaches once they've clawed their way to the peak. The scary part, if we're being honest, is that he puts Football in its proper place in the grand scheme of things; it didn't consume him as it consumed others. Remember, this is a theoretical battle against Aliens for the safety of our planet. The worry comes that Noll's lack of a die-hard attitude will either see him become lackadaisical... or it might break him. To both concerns, I say "stuff it". This is a man who understands stakes and does not slack from his job. If there was another truly scary part about Noll, it would be the relationship between he and his quarterback, Terry Bradshaw. Head Coaches and Quarterbacks; that's the primary connection for these teams, especially now that Offenses have started to become elaborate. The Noll-Bradshaw dynamic might have been the most volatile I've ever seen in any 'Dynasty' in Pro Football. The simple truth is Bradshaw wasn't ready to play at the beginning when he was drafted; not for Noll anyways. The coaching structure in Pittsburgh was a darn sight different than what Terry worked with in College, and his style was a night-and-day contrast to Noll. There was a reason the Steelers were a run-heavy offense for the first two Super Bowls, with Bradshaw only making news with some heavy long bombs in SB X against the Cowboys. It was only during '78 and '79, with the Pass Interference rules in place and the running game starting to bog down, that Bradshaw suddenly turned into a truly elite passer. If there was ever a point where the strain had lessened, it would be in those two years. Before and after that... whew. Even so; Head Coach: Chuck Noll- 1978 Offensive Style: Pro-Set Defensive Style: 4-3 Key Assistant: Leon "Bud" Carson- 1979(Defensive Coordinator/DB Coach) Key Assistant: Richard Hoak- 1979(RB Coach) Key Assistant: Lionel Taylor- 1979(WR Coach) Key Assistant: Dan Radakovich- 1979(OL Coach) Key Assistant: George Perles- 1978(DL Coach) Key Assistant: Woody Widenhofer- 1978(LB Coach/Assistant DB Coach) Key Assistant: Louis Riecke- 1979(Strength and Conditioning) Key Assistant: Paul Uram- 1979(K Coach/Flexibility) Key Assistant: Bill Belichick- 1979(ST Coach) Key Assistant: Ermal Allen- 1979(Research and Development) You'll note the distinct lack of a QB and a DB Coach. Pittsburgh dabbled briefly with a QB Coach- Babe Parilli- but that ended fast. For all intents and purposes Chuck Noll is the QB Coach. Bud Carson apparently ran the DBs on top of his duties as Defensive Coordinator, and presumably Woody Widenhofer took on that extra task when Carson left for the Los Angeles Rams. The reason Woody is an 'assistant' here is because I am unsure about the Rams coaching staff(best as I can tell, Carson coached the entire defense- no assistants covering any positions on that side of the ball) and Carson might be a few years out of date. The offense is roughly the standard Pro-Set you came to know and love through most of the 60's, though that's based primarily on positioning. The key difference comes from the blocking schemes. This is a 'Trap Blocking' unit, which in general has the linemen take on defenders at unusual angles to cut them off. That works because the defender is often not able to engage the blocker at the point of attack, and is then angled out of the way of the runner. It's a smart scheme, which admittedly takes time to develop, but is it needed? The story goes that the Steelers preferred smaller, quicker linemen to make the Trap scheme go. The truth is the Trap was utilized to compensate for the dire lack of size in the linemen(some would end the season weighing less than some running backs). The proof comes directly from Radakovich, in a 1990 Sports Illustrated article about the 70's Steelers. Given bigger players, it is more likely he would adjust his schemes to something closer to straight blocking, which the unit could actually do from time to time, and incorporate enough of the Trap scheme to make the line more effective but not bog down the linemen in its complexity. As for the rest of the offensive coaches, Hoak and Taylor(from the AFL Team) were steady hands but otherwise comparatively nondescript. Oh to be sure they coached Hall of Famers and stars during their time, but unlike Radakovich, there was nothing to really set them apart from the others. Still, they were part of the Steelers staff and no other coach stood out in their place. The defense is a bit more fascinating. It was a Cover 2 defense, which involved the safeties covering equal spaces deep. It largely worked here because the Cornerbacks were strong and great jammers, and the Linebackers were especially swift in coverage, but the real key was the 4-3 Stunt run by the defensive line, the main part of what was dubbed the "Steel Curtain"(If only the Soviets played American Football. Admit it; you'd see a Pittsburgh-USSR Exhibition and wonder whether Iron could beat Steel). The Stunt was basically "Mean" Joe Greene at Left Defensive Tackle lining up in a most unusual stance; he would position his body at a rather sharp angle, pointed between the guard and the center. Typically, his partner inside would be over the center at the same time. And stacked behind Greene would be the Middle Linebacker, Jack Lambert. All of this went hand-in-hand with Greene's unreal burst off the line and created chaos that the Curtain exploited. You can't discuss Louis Riecke without taking Steroids into account. We've discussed this back in the 60's; Steroids were not illegal during the 70's and so many players were taking them that trying to eliminate the Grey Areas would mortally cripple the player pool, so we're leaving him be. Paul Uram was the Flexibility coach and worked with the Kickers and Punters. As far as I can tell, there was no one else in the NFL working on flexibility, so that secures his place here(He was probably more effective with Punters than Placekickers). Joining the staff are two outsiders. Chuck Noll was one of the last Head Coaches to employ a legit Special Teams Coach in the NFL, and if we're honest, Belichick is just getting started at a legit staff coach(he had been a subordinate to subordinates the prior years in this decade), but for right now he's a Luxury that might pay dividends with the reserves. Ermal Allen comes from the Cowboys organization; he was a special assistant to Tom Landry, working primarily in Research and Development. Essentially, he scouted the opposing teams. That's golden. I suppose I should mention a thing or two about Support Staff. All-Time Teams, if they bother to go beyond the players at all, largely just pick a Head Coach. Sometimes they'll pick a full staff of Head Coaches(again, merit). When it comes to people who handle the Medical/Administrative work behind the scenes, absolutely nothing. It makes sense; this is hardly exciting stuff and for the most part these guys work in total anonymity. If you hear anything about them, it's because the team they work for is suffering too many injuries or there's a really juicy scandal involving putting hands and unmentionables where they don't belong. I can't say I'm any better, as I am not going into that much detail. Instead, I'm probably going to defer to the Steelers and use their guys(they're the only team to actually have such staff listed in their wikipedia entries during the 70's, and I'm not really willing to try and search deeper). The lone exception will be the Field Manager for one specific reason; this is the age of Artificial Turf but we are NOT playing on that surface. That means we'll be using whoever maintains our selected grass stadium. Medical staff will be Pittsburgh's(unless someone can point me to a superior medical team during this decade), as will be the Administrative/PR teams. When in doubt, go with the dynasty, yes? The Offensive Lineup: The lineup process has not changed, apart from the Ends officially being called Wide Receivers and the Halfback for some reason being called the Runningback. The starting lineup is based purely on the standard Pro-Set run by Pittsburgh- 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE. This will likely be the standard lineup arrangement at least up to the 00's. From there the Starting Lineup arrangement will be at the mercy of the Coaching Staff and their preferred standard template. Starting Quarterback: Terry Bradshaw- 1979 -6'3 215. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1970-83https://i.pinimg.com/736x/84/f5/31/84f531e00adf4d1f725ef9f5e9d94fd2.jpg I'll bet you the "Yinzer" phenomenon had its genesis in the early 70's just before the Steelers started to win Super Bowls, when they were tasting the playoffs at a rate which eclipsed all their prior years of existence combined. No, I don't mean the actual fan support, I mean the hypocritical knee-jerk lolcowdom(shout out to UrinatingTree for introducing me to the term). And I'll bet you that phenomenon was focused around Bradshaw, a 1st Overall pick in 1970 who had quite a number of struggles and mistakes for roughly the first five years of his existence, and whose prospects had become so low that the Steelers had an open Quarterback battle during their first Super Bowl year in '74 and for a time actually had three active QBs on their roster, and none of them were considered the front-runner. When do you suppose they shut up about Terry- '75 at the earliest? Maybe '78 after the Pass Interference rules and Terry completely dissected the Cowboys in SB XIII? Maybe after he got into the Hall of Fame? The Noll-Bradshaw connection is a strange one. It helped make a dynasty during the 70's but "contentious" is too mild a word for it. Noll was a teacher rather than a master motivator, and Bradshaw's deep arm and bravado would've probably been more suited for something less technical and more vertical(like the Raiders for instance). For roughly four to five years the dynamic struggled, but those can be explainable. Bradshaw was 1st Overall because the Steelers were 1-13 the year prior and there were considerably more holes to fill. Even so, a Steelers team that made the playoffs in '72 and '73 shouldn't have gone into '74 with a QB controversy. Enter "Jefferson Street" Joe Gilliam, the first Black QB to start a game since the merger, and for a time in '74, he had the QB job for the Steelers and was extremely popular. Problem was he meshed even worse with Noll than Bradshaw did and finally Gilliam's performances waned enough to give Bradshaw the job again. You could say the relationship solidified by the latter half of the decade and peaked during the final two years of the seventies when the passing game finally took over, but even way after the fact you could see Terry's opinion of Noll was relatively sub-par to most arrangements. It's a problem, but one I'll just have to live with. Coach-QB connections during these later decades simply cannot be dismissed. Apart from the mistakes(which still happened even in '78 and '79), Bradshaw knows the system, calls his own plays, and has the range to extend defenses. His '79 performance in SB XIV looks considerably worse than the year prior, but there was a catch; he was facing Bud Carson, Pittsburgh's former Defensive Coordinator. Small wonder the Rams held a 19-17 lead entering the 4th Quarter. But even then, Bradshaw pulled through and put the game away for the Steelers, even against a mastermind who knew him all too well. Starting Runningback: Walter Payton- 1977 Secondary Positions: Kick Returner(Emergency) -5'10 200. Chicago Bears: 1975-87https://foraslanandvolstate.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/walter_payton_touchdown.jpg It's really a tale of three runners. Franco Harris, Orenthal James Simpson, and Walter Payton. Harris was used as a Fullback, so he's set aside for now. Even so, he was more consistent than excellent. OJ's a much greater case, thanks to his 2000 yard season in 1973(with two less games on the schedule than modern runners have today), and is perhaps the best runner of the 70's. Trouble is, Walter's the most complete runner of the 70's. How does the Tale of the Tape compare these two? OJ's lone real advantage is he's just a little more elusive than Walter. They are roughly comparable when catching passes. Both are equals when it comes to lavishing attention and praise for their respective linemen. Both get stronger as the game goes on. Both were durable from Game-to-Game- at least until OJ's knees game out on him in '77. Both dabbled in the return game early in their careers and would've been world-class at it had they not been needed as starters. Payton hit harder, and was aggressive to the point where he would punish any defender that attempted to tackle him(by contrast to Franco Harris, who conserved his body by opting to run out of bounds, Payton stayed in-bounds and invited contact). Payton was hands down the superior blocker of the two, which doesn't seem to matter much in a one-man offense but really helps when running a balanced attack led by elites. Even as passers on the halfback option Payton is better, though most of his accolades on this trait came in the 80's. He even dabbled as an emergency punter once. Here's a greater accolade; both players have signature One-Man-Band seasons. Simpson technically had two; his 2000 yard season, and an overall performance in '75 which was arguably greater because OJ demonstrated a more complete game in terms of blocking and receiving. Payton's season was in '77... but unlike OJ, this performance dragged his team into the Playoffs. The '77 Bears were piddling outside of Payton. Bob Avellini was the starting Quarterback, and he was no Sid Luckman. He wasn't even Bobby Douglass, the 70's version of Michael Vick who almost rushed for 1000 yards in a season(not as dynamic as it sounds, as Bobby was just a big lumbering guy who rumbled through defenders). James Scott led a weak receiving corps(Payton had the second most catches on the team) who had caught on with the WFL's Chicago franchise during their ill-fated existence and had parlayed that success by getting on the Bears. The Offensive Line was without renown, before or after this season(none would ever make a Pro Bowl). The defense wasn't a dumpster fire, but it wasn't even average(a washed-up and skeleton-shaped Alan Page would be an upgrade by next season). Not even Special Teams offered anything exceptional. Take Payton out of the equation, and do these guys win three games? No matter, Payton led the Bears to a six-game winning streak down the stretch(including an infamous "Flu Game" where Payton set the rushing record with 275 yards) and the Bears just crossed the finish line to make the playoffs... where they got smushed by the eventual champion Cowboys. Technically speaking, I don't lose anything going with Payton over Simpson, and I gain a lot of little things. Payton's blocking goes a long way towards fitting this team's running template, though Chuck Noll might bristle at Payton not taking the sidelines and conserving his body. Starting Fullback: Franco Harris- 1974 -6'2 230. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1972-83/ Seattle Seahawks: 1984https://i.pinimg.com/736x/38/1e/07/381e07007825bc414d29904ba3f642dc--steelers-football-pittsburgh-steelers.jpg Running backs in general are far less reliant on the 'winner' label when it comes to All-Time teams than in most positions. You can't make such a team without a winner at QB, for instance... but the history of the NFL is full of great runners who ultimately never reached, or never won on the big stage. More to the point, with the growing emphasis on the passing game, the runners tend to have a less vital role. This means you can ultimately survive and even thrive without requiring a runner from whatever team is serving as your 'template'. This is just a long-winded way of saying that Franco Harris being a Steeler is rather irrelevant to his selection process. I would say Franco is more of a sword than a hammer, a comparison that does him no favors when placed alongside the living Battering Ram known as Larry Csonka. But in the same way Walter Payton was a more complete runner than OJ Simpson, Franco is a more complete runner than Csonka, who was slower and not a factor in any passing attack at all. Harris was a Fullback by position and size only; his running style was closer to a halfback, with great vision and underrated burst- the man ran as if wild animals were set upon him. He was also an able receiver and a capable blocker, factors that will serve him well alongside Payton in the backfield. More to the point, he doesn't stand out. What I mean is, he goes in, runs the ball, blocks for others, scores touchdowns, and doesn't really invite any criticism over his intangibles. Give it some time, the era of primma donnas is coming, and you'll soon wish for guys like Franco. Should I really discuss the "Immaculate Reception"? It was a fluke play. Franco was initially pass blocking on the play and hadn't really done a good job there, judging by the two Raiders trying to smear Bradshaw across the turf, so he went out to try and be an outlet pass... and was in the right place at the right time to grab the ball after it had deflected off of fullback John "Frenchy" Fuqua and safety Jack Tatum(not a tip; Tatum smacked Fuqua hard just as the ball arrived), and from there it was off to the races. It's an "Intangible" play; one that comes from happenstance rather than design, and given that it didn't even come during a Super Bowl year(the '72 Steelers were the second to last obstacle for the Perfect Miami Dolphins), it's honestly kinda overrated in the grand scheme of things. People might also think the playing styles of Payton and Harris could cause a rift between the two, but as far as I can tell there was no such brewing disgruntlement. Harris was indeed lampooned for taking the career rushing record by avoiding contact, but that's hardly something to criticize him for- as he put it, he contributed to the overall success of the team by conserving himself. Starting Wide Receiver: Lynn Swann- 1978 Secondary Positions: Punt Returner(Emergency) -5'11 180. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1974-82http://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/images/1976-Super-Bowl-X-Lynn-Swann-001303732.jpg Sports Players- the great ones anyway- tend to always be compared to the stars of the prior generations. It's a fact of life that the new must always be challenged by the gatekeepers of the past, and if successful become the gatekeeper that challenges the next generation. Swann was a rarity in that he was compared not to a past football player, but someone who did not participate in actual sport. Mikhail Baryshnikov is considered one of the greatest male ballet dancers of all time, and his peak coincided with Swann's career in the NFL. The reason for the comparison was simple; Swann's game was one of grace and acrobatics(and yes, he looked into dancing to hone his craft). His leaping ability was phenomenal, as he could catch an air ball at his chest when most would lunge up with their hands, and he could then twist himself to cover up the ball in his grasp, and if the out-of-bounds line came into play, his feet would adeptly keep him in-bounds for the catch, and sometimes keep him upright to gain more yardage. The argument was Baryshnikov was the better dancer. Yeah, sure, but Barishnikov never had to catch zipping passes up the middle at ten-to-fifteen yards while bracing for the defenders that would jack him up before, during, and after the catch. Did we mention that Swann went over the middle with this graceful style and took a ton of licks? He wasn't just an outside dandy. He took some ugly shots during his lifetime(look up George Atkinson and the hit he laid upon Swann one year. Ugly stuff). It's a good idea to give Bradshaw at least one familiar target amongst the starting receivers. John Stallworth may have lasted five more years than Swann and collected a lot more receptions, but those years and most of those receptions happened into the 80's so they don't count. Up to the end of the decade, Bradshaw threw more to Swann than Stallworth, and Swann's exploits on the big stage outshone Stallworth by a considerable margin. Look at his performance in SB X, where one could be forgiven for thinking he caught twenty passes(he only nabbed four, but at least three of them were long bombs worthy of highlight reels until the dark day when professional football ceases to exist). Starting Wide Receiver: Paul Warfield- 1971 -6'0 188. Cleveland Browns: 1964-69/ Miami Dolphins: 1970-74/ Cleveland Browns: 1976-77https://i.pinimg.com/736x/54/39/cb/5439cb9eddda018ce0970c0d9e3a6b4e.jpg The common choice for the second starting wideout spot is Drew Pearson of the Cowboys. Makes sense. He was the best wideout for the Cowboys during their "America's Team" era and in a number of cases he was the NFCs version of Lynn Swann. He also went to three Super Bowls, which as far as wideouts are concerned, is only overshadowed by the Steelers and matched by one other, which is Warfield. The tale of the tape is as follows; Warfield was more elusive and quick. Pearson might arguably have the advantage in hands(and the fact that he tended to protect the ball during the catch in much the same way a low-post player in basketball keeps the ball from the man guarding him), and Route Running might be a wash between them. Blocking was hands down in Warfield's favor, though the Steelers did not nearly emphasize wideout blocking in the same manner as the Browns or the Dolphins did. Both were big play athletes with positive intangibles. Both could catch balls on inside routes, take shots from defenders, and get back up. Warfield could get up in the air as much as Swann did, perhaps with greater smoothness though perhaps not from an acrobatic standpoint. Most would argue that Drew was superior in the clutch, though almost all of that reputation came from the "Hail Mary" pass in the 1975 NFC Championship against Minnesota- the term, according to Roger Staubach, came from what he said as he made that fateful pass, probably not the full prayer. It was a deep pass in win-or-go-home circumstances, with Pearson one-on-one with cornerback Nate Wright, only it was slightly underthrown, meaning Pearson had to 'swim' and nudge Wright aside to make that catch. There have probably been other clutch moments, but it seems the most memorable 'moments' beyond that were the times the team came up short; two failed bombs in SB X, a strong 4th Quarter performance that didn't make it all the way in SB XIII, the last gasp in the '81 NFC Championship(the same game as "The Catch") where he was pulled down at midfield but would have streaked to the end zone otherwise. Warfield had less of a reputation for the clutch, but that was largely due to a lack of Big Moments. Miami in the 70's was strictly a ground running game and Warfield was the change-up. He did get corralled by Mel Renfro in SB VI and was a decoy the next two years, but Pearson had roughly the same track record in Super Bowls. He wasn't used in SB XII(The lone victory), was banged up a lot in SB X despite making a touchdown, and apart from the fourth quarter in XIII he was kept out of the action. I would argue that Warfield has the greater athletic potential, and none of Drew's intangibles overshadows anything Paul brings to the table. You can make a small argument for Warfield retiring before the '78 Rules came into effect, but not by much; defenses would probably emphasize zone coverage and try to take the deep stuff away but Warfield wasn't just a one-dimensional vertical threat. He'll do virtually anything Swann had to do with the Steelers before and after '78. Starting Tight End: Dave Capser- 1976 -6'4 240. Oakland Raiders: 1974-80/ Houston Oilers: 1980-83/ Minnesota Vikings: 1983/ Los Angeles Raiders: 1984http://media-touchdown.cursecdn.com/attachments/3/895/635343954617619845.jpg They called him "the Ghost"(Gee, I wonder why). There are stronger blockers and there are faster runners at the Tight End position, but Casper is the best all-around talent. Enough speed to get open, great blocker(started out as a Tackle in Notre Dame), great hands, took nothing off the table as far as work ethic goes, though he'll suffer from the same problems as all the Raiders will; namely their coaches ran a more 'lax' operation- far less of an emphasis on rules and regulations- which when combined with the Steeler-Raider antagonism over the years might lead to trouble. Casper's known for two plays. The "Ghost to the Post" occurred in the '77 Playoffs against the Colts, during the final drive in regulation. Casper ran a deep post route- it was meant to draw off the safeties because the play was designed for the wideouts, only the safeties were cheating up front so Ken Stabler was looking for him. Problem was, the pass was overthrown and behind Casper(I.E., not in the direction he was going on the route), only Dave made a remarkable adjustment and got into position to make an over-the-head catch. It wasn't a touchdown; but it did secure a game-tying Field Goal, and the Raiders went on to win in overtime. The second is more ridiculous. It was a regular season game against the Chargers in '78. Again, the Raiders were trailing on their final drive(and literally final play with only ten seconds left). Stabler was about to be sacked, but made like he "fumbled" the ball forward. Pete Banaszak, a running back, made an "attempt" to recover the ball but batted it forward. Casper finished off the play by stumbling forward, "trying" to pick up the ball and subtlely kicking it towards the end zone until he finally fell on it. It was ruled legal at the time, but by next season some truly daffy rules were inspired by the "Holy Roller". Here's the Wikipedia post about those changes; "In response to the Holy Roller, the league passed new rules in the off-season, restricting fumble advances by the offense. If a player fumbles after the two-minute warning in a half/overtime, or on fourth down at any time during the game, only the fumbling player can recover and advance the ball. If that player's teammate recovers the ball during those situations, it is placed back at the spot of the fumble, unless it was a recovery for a loss, in which case the ball is dead and placed at the point of recovery." Those rules are still in effect today. And you wonder why the NFL is nicknamed "No Fun League". At any rate, Pittsburgh started utilizing the Tight Ends more in '78 and '79 so this isn't a glorified third-tackle position, though their usage of Tight Ends is still more basic than what Oakland did with them. Starting Left Tackle: Art Shell- 1976 -6'5 265. Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders: 1968-82 Starting Left Guard: Gene Upshaw- 1976 -6'5 255. Oakland Raiders: 1967-81http://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/1011/oakland.raiders.rare.photos/images/art-shell.77482848.jpg (Shell is #78, Upshaw is #63) Both guys are elite purely on their own individual merits, but as a tandem they overshadow virtually everyone else(the only two guys I can think of who could challenge either of the two would be John Hannah and Tom Mack, everyone else that might make the list plays on the right side). These two were so devastating at the point of attack that the Raiders bucked tradition and became primarily a weak-side running team(this was duplicated by Pittsburgh, but for different reasons). Shell was a pure powerhouse and an excellent pass blocker. Upshaw was a devastating sweeper and just as overpowering up front. But if there's one concern, it's that these guys spent a long period of time with Kenny Stabler as their quarterback. The catch to that is that Stabler was left-handed. Take a seven step drop like you're a quarterback. By the end of it, your chest likely isn't pointed downfield. Your body has been turned to the side, because that helps shave off crucial fractions of a second when trying to throw a pass. If you're right-handed, that means your chest is pointed towards the right. Now while you're in that position, try to crane your neck to the left. You can't see all that well from that direction, can you? That's what's called your Blind Side. You're less likely to sense a defender rushing at you from that side, because he's likely coming at an angle that sneaks past your peripheral vision, unless you've angled your body towards the left(telegraphing the direction you're going to throw in the process). That means you likely have little if any time to brace for impact much less hold onto the ball if they hit home against you. Once passing became the norm by the start of the 80's, the Blind Side became the preferred stalking grounds for the finest pass rushers in the game. Soon enough the best offensive linemen shifted from the Right side to the Left out of respect for that new facet of the game. Back to Shell and Upshaw. With the Snake(the true one; Jake Plummer's just a pale imitation) under helm, they were blocking his front side, which probably helped. That said, it's not a deal breaker. They did block for right-handed passers in the past(Daryle Lamonica) and the future(Jim Plunkett), and they were regarded as excellent pass blockers to begin with. But it will be worth taking into account in the later decades. All of that said, it was these two that best bridged the transition period between the Power Blocking of the Strong Side and the Stalwart Shielding of the Weak Side. Starting Center: Mike Webster- 1979 -6'1 255. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1974-88/ Kansas City Chiefs: 1989-90https://i.pinimg.com/736x/42/10/ab/4210abf5e896716fe79ca7cf156e09d7.jpg I'll put it this way; Elite Talent that played on the Team whose style we are duplicating triumphs over Elite Talent from other teams. Jim Langer of the Dolphins has more accolades from the decade, but Webster knows the Steeler system, especially the blocking system(even though it won't be an exact replica), and is otherwise excellent in all facets; strong enough to handle Nose Tackles, swift enough to engage linebackers, smart enough to confer with his quarterback before the snap to change the play up. There's a reason Bradshaw took an honorary snap with Webster during Mike's Hall of Fame induction(and the only time a man wanting to put his hands on another man's butt could be taken without a lot of strange looks. Seriously, look up Terry's speech for Mike on that day). There's no point in discussing Steroids, though people will claim that's what helped elevate Webster. Remember that they weren't illegal at the time, and at any rate, can you provide someone that you know for a fact was one hundred percent clean during that era and could do everything you need a Center to do without getting pancaked up front like the old Greyhounds going up against giants? No, there's no point discussing Steroids... but CTE, that's another matter entirely. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, is a neurogenerative disease. It arises from numerous hard contacts with a person's head, its symptoms often manifesting some years after such damage has been inflicted. It impacts your memory, your mood swings, your awareness, your senses, your speech... the Brain is damaged as if the person was inflicted with Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Eventually, such people wither into shells of their former selves... if they don't suddenly snap beforehand and do something terrible to themselves... or somebody else. Webster was likely afflicted with this condition before he even retired. He didn't commit suicide, nor did he commit murder... but his changes in behavior were so stark after his playing days(imagine shocking yourself every night so you can be induced to sleep) until he died of a Heart Attack at the age of fifty. He was one of nine former players examined by Bennet Omalu(you may know the Biopic starring Will Smith), where CTE was found by him. His findings were the first steps toward what has become the Modern Day emphasis on Concussion Protocol in the game. Starting Right Guard: Joe DeLamielleure- 1975 -6'3 254. Buffalo Bills: 1973-79/ Cleveland Browns: 1980-84/ Buffalo Bills: 1985https://i.pinimg.com/736x/51/b9/fa/51b9fae70f2d421c2a30ad9556110f7c.jpg "Mean" Joe Greene said the following about Larry Little, the main competitor at this spot; "Every time we played Miami, it seemed that Little was always in front of me. We battled several times and I came away from each game with more respect for him than ever. Whatever he did, I just couldn't ever shake him." Here's what he said about Joe; “No one blocked me better than Joe DeLamielleure”. That Mean Joe would be the ultimate judge shouldn't be a surprise; he played Left Defensive Tackle, and faced Right Guards. The thing about their records was that Joe D faced Greene more often than Little did, and once Greene developed his signature positioning in '74, the difference was even more pronounced; I think Little only faced Joe once or twice after that. Joe D faced him more times than that, even when he was traded to Cleveland in the 80's. So yeah, let's go with Mean Joe's judgment, which helps a lot since both players were significantly elite. Little's advantages over Joe were his speed(clocked at 4.9 in the 40, which was and still is a big thing for offensive linemen) and his ability to pull out on sweeps. Joe matched up equally at virtually every other category and was quite adept at the trapping game, which is still going to be a staple of the blocking scheme even though it's downgraded. He also moonlit as a Wedge-Runner on kickoff teams, which is a definite plus for our special teams units. DeLamielleure's primary calling card was being the ringleader of sorts for the "Electric Company", the blocking unit of the Buffalo Bills in the 1970's. The nickname was simple; they blocked for OJ Simpson, who was nicknamed the "Juice" because of his initials. "Juice" is also a nickname for electricity, and so the blockers "turned the Juice on" by opening holes for him. Why in the everloving [BLEEP] can't we be that inventive with nicknames these days? Anyway, Joe D wasn't just a road grader; he was equally adept at pass coverage on the few times when Buffalo passers(this was before Jim Kelly) were more than mediocre at their craft. Starting Right Tackle: Rayfield Wright- 1975 -6'6 255. Dallas Cowboys: 1967-79http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/football-dallas-cowboys-rayfield-wright-in-action-making-block-for-picture-id81442713?s=612x612 Wright or Dan Dierdorf or Ron Yary. Yary might be considered the greatest blocker at this position for this decade, but the offensive scheme hinders any appeal to him- all the time he had to overpower his man at the point of attack. Dierdorf is probably best remembered for being a voice on Monday Night Football, but during his time as an active player, he was truly exceptional. In fact, from mid-season '75 to the beginning of '78 he did not allow a single sack. The problem was his team(the St. Louis Cardinals) only had brief dalliances with the playoffs and he had a dearth of games spent competing against an elite pass rusher(Carl Eller and Jack Youngblood twice, once each in the two playoff games St. Louis partook in during the decade). Wright had considerably more matchups against the elites, both in the regular season and in the playoffs, and played exceptionally well in the Super Bowls too. On top of that, Wright's athleticism was simply a notch above guys like Dierdorf and Yary. He was extremely nimble on his feet(he was a converted Tight End), and had the requisite strength to play on the line. His range was phenomenal for his position. His mobility was such that he could probably play in Pittsburgh's actual Trap scheme with no problems. And he had no issues whatsoever with his "motor"- a guy who in his first game as a Right Tackle had to handle Deacon Jones was still plowing along at the end of the decade, respected as a leader and Co-Captain of the Cowboys. One could argue that Wright was the greatest pass blocker of the decade. It's kind of ironic. His lone competition for that spot is Art Shell, who blocked at Left Tackle for Left-Handed Ken Stabler, while Wright blocked at Right Tackle for Right-Handed Roger Staubach. Neither one had to protect their QBs blind side during this decade. The Defensive Lineup: The Template is again from Pittsburgh. That means it's a standard 4-3. They do some change-ups; sometimes switching out a lineman for a nickelback or even a fourth linebacker, so that means some backups will have some roles beyond injury replacements and special teams. As far as positions go, only the safeties have a name change. The Left Safety is now the Strong Safety, while the Right Safety is the Free Safety. Starting Left Defensive End: L.C. Greenwood- 1975 -6'6 245. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1969-81https://stillcurtain.com/files/2013/06/LC-Greenwood_SuperBowl-IX-_Goes_high.jpg On paper, a comparison between Greenwood and Minnesota's Carl Eller would be a mismatch in favor of Eller. Eller's a Hall of Famer, Greenwood is not. Eller gained many accolades in the decade, lots of All-Pro Selections. Greenwood has relatively few of those. Eller's probably the second member of the Purple People Eaters after Alan Page to be thought of; Greenwood is maybe the fifth most notable person in the Steel Curtain. All other things being equal, shouldn't that be an automatic win for Eller? Well, have the two swap teams. Does Eller overshadow Joe Greene, Lambert, Ham, and Blount? Does Greenwood's notoriety thrive with only Alan Page and maybe Paul Krause making any sort of headline? Athletically speaking, the two are similar to the point where they could be mirror images of each other. Same tall, sleight frame, same burst, same power, same reach. In all likelihood, their production wouldn't change if teams were swapped, but the swap would turn Greenwood into a Hall-of-Famer, while Eller would struggle to break out from the overall Pittsburgh unit. There are two distinct advantages Greenwood enjoys over Eller. The first is clutch performance; SB IX and SB X were blockbuster moments for LC, knocking down two Fran Tarkenton passes and sacking Roger Staubach four times(with Rayfield Wright blocking him, no less). Eller's performances on that stage were... well, they don't generate any real noise. The second is teammate cohesion. Anyone who's a fan of the Steelers knows darn well who played on the left side of the Steel Curtain, and Greenwood's connection to the left linebacker and left tackle is monumental(same principal behind a Dave Robinson/Herb Adderley connection on the 60's team). The only real disadvantage would be a negative on special teams; Eller had ten blocked kicks during his career(how many of them were in the 60's I dunno), while Greenwood didn't register(despite being 6'6 and having long arms). In fact, only Joe Greene registered in any capacity as a kick blocker on the Steelers. Perhaps Belichick can be of some help there. Starting Left Defensive Tackle: Joe Greene- 1974 -6'4 275. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1969-81https://www.steelcityunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/tempAP107401738418_9-nfl_mezz_1280_1024-1200x600.jpg Greene was the keystone of the Steel Curtain, and he's the Keystone here. His alignment trick is paramount to the devastating front four rush that this team will inflict upon the opposition, but even without it he is a dominant force above all others. Incredibly strong against the run, and fiercely effective at rushing the passer. He was already a proven leader by SB IX, and there were no apparent holes to his game. The reason we're going with '74 Greene is because he suffered a pinched nerve in '75 that sidelined him for some games and reduced his effectiveness as a pass rusher in later years. Starting Right Defensive Tackle: Ernie Holmes- 1975 -6'3 260. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1972-77https://i.pinimg.com/736x/28/82/56/2882563eb1853a33fadbf5a331e6878d.jpg Last time I tried this, I did a half-and-half; Greenwood and Greene were on the left side, and for the right side I used Randy White and Harvey Martin of the Cowboys. Martin was in to partner with Randy(they shared Co-MVP honors in SB XII), but my dismissal of Ernie Holmes came about because of the off-field issues. It's a bit easy to compare Holmes to "Big Daddy" Lipscomb in that neither of them really had a stable lifestyle off the gridiron- at least, that was my perception. The true extent of Holmes and his issues stems from two incidents during his NFL Career; a 1973 altercation with Police while driving down the Ohio Turnpike(shooting at a Police Chopper as it followed him), and a 1976-ish incident where Amarillo Police charged him with possession of Cocaine. The '73 incident was relatively short-lived; Holmes was diagnosed with "acute paranoid psychosis" and given five years of probation. As for the Amarillo incident, he was found not guilty in early '77(the case was a classic example of shady Police practices). The bigger detriment to Holmes was his weight problem; they called him "Fats" because in the off-season he could balloon past 300 pounds and eventually that's why the Steelers traded him to Tampa Bay before the '78 season. The man liked to eat, liked to drink, and yes... the bar to cross him was a little lower than most. The Stunt 4-3 really emphasizes the importance of Holmes, as it essentially made him a partner to Joe Greene. If Greene was double-teamed, it was Holmes one-on one versus a guard and he was often too strong to take on in that manner(Gene Upshaw had to resort to tricks such as cut-blocking him, which means he just went for his knees). Holmes was also agile enough to loop to the left while Green cut to the right(this criss-crossing pattern is the staple of 'stunt' formations). He was decent enough as a pass rusher, and could penetrate as well as the rest of the line, but Holmes was probably one of the biggest stalwarts against the run during his time(Randy White was more a pass rusher who grew into run defense, Alan Page even more so). Plus, it stands to reason the other Steeler guys on this team would adamantly have him in the team anyways. For the record, whenever Pittsburgh replaced a lineman with a linebacker or a defensive back, it was usually Holmes who was subbed-out. This was for rather obvious passing downs, however. Starting Right Defensive End: Dwight White- 1975 -6'4 255. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1971-80https://i.pinimg.com/originals/0e/e8/29/0ee829a1f67538f08056e8fc5fecc694.jpg In a decade where defenses(typically the front four) were extremely notorious to the point of earning nicknames, the "Steel Curtain" entirely dominates. Most all-time teams involving this decade would probably only have one Steeler on the line(Joe Greene), add two Vikings(Alan Page and Carl Eller), and have some flexibility with the fourth spot(Harvey Martin of Dallas or Claude Humphrey of Atlanta). A lot of this is again mixing and matching entirely on merit rather than constructing a defensive line that could function without weakness in an actual game. The problem with an interior line consisting of Joe Greene and someone like Alan Page is that they are both pass rushers first. You wouldn't think that would matter, but Greene's the superior rusher of the two and his 'stunting' technique sort of forces the hand of his partner. Page, who would slim down considerably through the seventies, is not built to be the secondary clean-up man on the line, someone who can add reinforcing pressure but also hold the line against the run. He and the "Manster" Randy White have the speed to perform some of the more gimmicky aspects of the Stunt, but their strength and burst are for attack; they don't hold the line all that well- hence the inclusion of Ernie Holmes. We already hashed the LC Greenwood-Carl Eller debate, but suffice it to say, I didn't find Eller to be superior to Greenwood to the point where his inclusion was justified. That just leaves the fourth spot. The 'top' player at the position was considered to be Harvey Martin. By all accounts he had all the physical tools and he had an excellent peak year at the right rime(1977, the year the Cowboys won SB XII and Martin got co-MVP honors that game). But his head came with some concerns. That sounds deeply hypocritical, as there were definite concerns involving Ernie Holmes, but none of those involved his on-field play. Martin was a man who had to forcefully build himself up to be "Mean" in the game in order to be effective at it. He had a real thirst for being admired and the talk of the town, and extended that to his appearance(he actually had an operation on his jawline shortly after SB XII to fix his face up). He also developed a taste for cocaine(though I cant prove he was into it during the 70's), and it didn't take long for him to actually crater both on the field and off it. But if I'm being honest, a lot of that is probably overrated. In truth, Martin has the same problem with Dwight White that Carl Eller has with LC Greenwood. There's just no evidence that Martin was athletically hands-down superior to White. Martin was the key pass rusher for the latter half of the Dallas Flex Defense in the 70's. White was the third pass rush option for the Steelers. Have them switch teams and does Martin stand out in Pittsburgh? Does White thrive in Dallas? About the lone attribute where White seems superior to Martin is in his motor; Dwight was described as a "100% Intensity" kind of guy(they nicknamed him "Mad Dog" for a reason), someone who charges in play after play. Clearly he was valuable; he lasted about as long as Greene and Greenwood, and his teammates absolutely appreciated what he brought to the team. More to the point, Dwight didn't make any kind of negative noise while being the third-or-fourth banana on the front line(compare this to Coy Bacon, who was traded from Los Angeles early in the decade because he balked at taking on a larger role in run defense as opposed to pass rushing). If there's a flaw in using the "Steel Curtain" in its entirety, it comes from the years- Three out of the Four come after SB X and just before their truly elite stretch in '76(Greene came from earlier because of his pinched nerve). The offensive line were permitted to extend their arms to engage defenders in '78, which can be a problem here because these guys will be used to the old blocking rules. By the time '78 and '79 rolled around, Holmes was out of the league and the remaining three players were worn with age and getting by on strength and know-how. That said, if the new blocking can be taught to linemen from the "Old Blocking" years, then the defensive linemen can be taught how to combat those new techniques. Starting Left Linebacker: Jack Ham- 1978 -6'1 225. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1971-82https://i.pinimg.com/736x/be/de/18/bede186a19dce08d3192ec83be153708--jack-lambert-american-football.jpg By all accounts, Ham is the second or third-best player on the Steelers defense(depending on what you think of Jack Lambert). He was certainly the most prolific Outside Linebacker(at least of the 4-3 variety) during the decade as well as the greatest in coverage. His raw speed was good but his quickness was world-class; the claim by Chuck Noll and Andy Russell was that Ham was faster in ten yards than virtually anyone else on the Steelers- including running backs and wide receivers. He was a strong hitter for his size, making him more than adept at defending the run, but his key attribute was intelligence. He could diagnose plays and put himself in the right place to make the right move. He couldn't be fooled. His positioning was top-notch. That said, his most notable tidbit was the nickname given to him; "Dobre Shunka", which is Polish, like Jack's lineage. It translates to "Good Ham". Apart from the trenches, defensive players with pass protection responsibilities probably should be considered during the '78 and '79 years. It helps prevent "excessive" PI penalties, which can go for major yardage to this day. Ham's got a clean reputation, but even so. Starting Middle Linebacker: Jack Lambert- 1979 -6'4 220. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1974-84https://www.fwweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/jack.jpg Lambert's right up where with Butkus and Nitschke in terms of intimidators. He was a hard hitter and an enforcer who could play the run as well as anyone at this position(and also doubled as intimidating in terms of appearance; they called him "Count Dracula in Cleats" because of a basketball injury which took away his four front teeth. He had special dentures off the field, but didn't wear them in the game, as his photo shows). If you go purely by the expected role of a Middle Linebacker, Lambert is already the top choice in this decade, but his coverage skills offer a new dimension to the position. Lambert's listed weight was 220 but he was probably ten or more pounds under that. Add in his 6'4 frame and he looked like a scarecrow. The consensus coming out of college was that Jack was too small to play linebacker. Granted, lining up behind Joe Greene probably helped(especially against the run, but that thinness promoted a mobility you didn't see in Middle Linebackers. His roles in Bud Carson's defense baffled onlookers. In the "Cover 2" look, he would cover a zone just ahead of the safeties, protecting the seam, sometimes he'd line up deeper, almost alongside them. Sometimes he'd cover the tight end man-to-man all over the field. Sometimes he'd cover the first back out of the backfield, which was usually an outside linebacker's job because the first guys tend to be the most mobile. MLBs were typically charged with the second, likely slower guy. He probably wasn't on Ham's level in terms of pass protection, but then Ham is probably the best ever pass defending LB in the history of the NFL. Starting Right Linebacker: Ted Hendricks- 1974(Off-Position) -6'7 220. Baltimore Colts: 1969-73/ Green Bay Packers: 1974/ Oakland Raiders: 1975-83https://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/28/files/2013/06/Ted-Hendricks-4.jpg Holy [BLEEP], a defensive starter that ISN'T a Steeler. Pinch yourselves. Ted's presence on this team is an enigma befitting of his life. On the one hand, you have one of the greatest talents for the position. By the end of his career, the "Mad Stork" was Jack Ham's equal when it came to diagnosing the offensive plays(he did it by having an exceptional memory throughout his playing days), always correctly positioning himself to make the play. He was swift enough and he was surprisingly strong(he wasn't a weight-lifter; his strength came from the long muscles in his arms and the wingspan of a basketball player), and was incredibly hard to block, seemingly able to shift past the blocker at will. His run defense was immaculate on the edge and he was no slouch at defending the pass. He even doubled as the most lethal kick blocker in the history of the NFL, one who could shift through blockers or go up in the air to nail the low-trajectory kicks(you can't really kick high angle shots at long distance). He simply had it all. On the other hand, this guy comes with a ton of question marks, the vast majority just coming down to him being a weird bird- fitting right in with the Raiders- but several questions come down to the role and position he played on defense. Yes, he had training camp and practice antics(one time he rode onto the field on a white horse, german helmet, and a traffic cone), he was a party animal amongst party animals, he once wore a harlequin mask on Monday Night Football(he collected that mask and many others from Renaissance Fairs over the years), but none of those escapades were truly detrimental to his game. A lot of that admittedly was thanks to the Raiders' more lackadaisical discipline style as run by John Madden(yes, THAT Madden). As long as you did your job, put in everything you had on Sunday and won, a lot of the antics you might come up with before Sunday were tolerated. Ted was more "out there" than the others. The positioning is another factor; Hendricks spent his career split between the 4-3 and 3-4 defenses. In Baltimore, under the tutelage of Don Shula, he was a relatively normal 4-3 outside linebacker, first on the weak(right) side, then the strong(left side). Then Shula left and the team got dismantled and Ted was eventually shipped off to Green Bay after he signed a futures contract with the WFL Jacksonville franchise(just one of many NFL players to be promised a WFL Contract). The WFL fell through, but his contract with the Packers(after an incredible '74 season for the Stork, no less) contained no Option year. This is remarkable because the "Option Year" was one of several tricks used by franchises back in the days before Free Agency. New coach Bart Starr would not concede to Ted's contract demands(mainly that it be totally guaranteed), and eventually his rights were traded to Oakland. After a low '75(perpetuating a theme that only Don Shula really knew what he had with Ted), the Raiders switched to a 3-4 defense and Ted was now a Rover, a Freelancer that the rest of the team worked around. It largely worked, because Ted was that dang good at freelancing. That said, the period between '76 and '80 was another lull, with Ted being used less and less as the years wore on. Ted even insinuates the coaching staff wanted him gone by '80, but Al Davis stepped in and stopped the nonsense. A new defensive coordinator made him the keystone of the defense again, and Ted enjoyed a revival and two more Super Bowls before retiring. '79 or '78 Hendricks should know and memorize more than '74 Hendricks, but that comes with three or four years of "Rover Mentality" to sift through. It's not just switching back to a 4-3, it's about switching back to a disciplined and more static role on the defense. It's significantly easier and faster to use '74 Hendricks as a result. This is arguably his athletic peak- even while toiling for a bottom-dwelling Packers team-, and more importantly, his Mount Everest of Kick Blocking(he blocked 25 kicks in a 15 year career. Seven alone in '74. So he blocked 18 in the other 14 years). He did struggle with a transition to the weak side in '75, but that only accounts for a minor fraction of his decline that year(the rest is on the staff underutilizing him). As for the antics, I'd like to think Chuck Noll is smart enough to not raise a stink. Ted's good enough to get the Joe Greene treatment. Starting Left Cornerback: Louis Wright- 1979 -6'2 200. Denver Broncos: 1975-86https://i.pinimg.com/736x/74/32/d2/7432d254e3b8e058c236eda073282367--broncos-fans-nfl-denver-broncos.jpg The Cover 2 emphasized large, strong corners. Not excessively large, mind you... but 6'2 and 200 pounds was about the right size, provided the skills were there. This was true during the days of the Bump-and Run, and remained true after the '78 Rules had neutered the Bump and Run and turned the game into a fireworks display. As far as the secondary is concerned, whoever is selected should be able to play big and strong, but also thrive during '78 and '79. That just about cripples the list of qualified candidates. The Steelers did have an All-Timer at one of their cornerback spots- Mel Blount- but he's on the right side. Wright's the choice for the left. Much like Jimmy Johnson in the 60's, the term "Shutdown Corner" applied to Wright despite a lack of interceptions. Wright's the lone cornerback selection for the Hall of Fame's 1970's All-Decade Team to NOT be in the Hall of Fame. Supposedly he didn't have good hands. QBs also didn't want to throw it to him- guys like Dan Fouts professed their reluctance to go to his side of the field. He was fast and had strong legs(track and long jump star at San Jose State) and could stick to his receiver like glue. He was also highly effective against the run, which tends to be an issue for cornerbacks no matter how strong they are. In short, he had no holes. About the only true worry is that Wright might turn into a classic case of Asomugha Syndrome... that's the gimmick I just made up for any typical "Shutdown Corner" that goes to a stronger team and gets exploited because his prior team didn't have a partner that couldn't be beat. It's named for Nnamdi Asomugha, who was the shutdown corner in Oakland for years, but lacked any near-equal teammates in the secondary so he was rarely thrown to. Then he went to the Eagles and joined a stronger secondary so opposing teams had to throw to him... and then they found out he wasn't as good as advertised. I'm willing to bet that won't be the case here. Starting Strong Safety: Ken Houston- 1973 Secondary Positions: Punt Returner(Alternate) -6'3 197. Houston Oilers(AFL): 1967-69/ Houston Oilers: 1970-72/ Washington Redskins: 1973-80https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e3/3c/c1/e33cc18d862775453056781e604df578.jpg If there's a problem concerning Strong Safeties in the Cover 2, it's that they were expected to have quality range, perhaps to the extent that they should be a second Free Safety. You could do two Free Safeties, but you need to have both of them be able to drive up and thump runners and receivers. Thankfully Strong Safety is the one position we don't have a problem with. One of the more underrated gems for his time, Houston played the strong side despite his great range because he had been a linebacker in college, and he hit like it. He was an expert ballhawk and was an electric runner after the catch, enough so that he dabbled as a punt returner early on. If he had any kind of hole in his game, it might be that he was prone to miss a tackle every now and again(25 in 1973, so I read). Intangibles were dang good, as he was a team player and a good mentor to the young players. He was valued enough by the Redskins that they gave up five players to Houston in order to acquire his services. By far the moment he's most known for was in a regular season contest against the Dallas Cowboys in '73. Washington was preserving a 14-7 lead late into the game, but Dallas was driving, and got near the goal line. A short pass to Walt Garrison should've been the game-tying score. Walt Garrison is one of the tougher players in Cowboy's history, and even straight up he'd be a chore to tackle. The big problem was he caught the ball in a slanting route on the 1 yard line. Houston was marking him, in between Garrison and the Goal Line but angled at the wrong place, towards Walt's back and not his front. Ken managed to wrap him up from behind, neither of them with feet on the ground at the time of the catch. Even so, pulling a strong back from behind is a rather unfavorable position, especially at the 1, where Garrison could have potentially just stuck his hand out with the ball and crossed the threshhold. Somehow, Ken scrounged up the leverage to prevent Walt from pushing forward, and pulled him back from the End Zone. Did I mention this was 4th and Goal, with half a minute remaining? Starting Free Safety: Mike Wagner- 1976(Off-Position) -6'1 210. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1971-80https://images.nittanyweb.com/scs/images/products/116/larger/autographed_signed_mike_wagner_8x10_pittsburgh_steelers_photo_certified_authentic_p3135909.jpg Wagner's in the same position that LC Greenwood and Dwight White are in. Actually, he's a rung above them in that he jumped over a great many players with larger accolades, while being a more complementary player for the Steel Curtain. Wagner spent the majority of his career at Strong Safety alongside Glen Edwards, only shifting to Free Safety when Donnie Shell came into his own and Edwards was traded away. So he's not only above bigger names, but he's also out of position AND his athleticism isn't world-class? What gives? Wagner was considered the 'quarterback' of the Steeler secondary, much like Willie Wood of the Packers and Emlen Tunnell of the Giants(to a slightly lesser extent thanks to Tom Landry), which shouldn't sound like a big deal in a defense where Safeties played deep zones in a Cover 2, only the Steeler defense didn't always play Cover 2 and it was Wagner's job to call out pass coverage adjustments based on what he saw from his position. Sometimes he could be fooled, sometimes he could be caught off-guard, but on the whole he was an intelligent and high-effort player who was "deceptively" athletic with a quality range, and I can't seem to find much about safeties in this era being 'quarterbacks' of their secondaries, so... A better feather in Wagner's cap was when Donnie Shell developed into starting material. Given that Shell played his entire career at Strong Safety, it should've made sense that Wagner would be the one that was traded, and the more athletic Glen Edwards would remain at Free Safety(presumably it was Edward's athleticism and raw experience- he was a former running back- that put him on the weak side). Instead, Edwards was traded and Wagner was moved over for his final years. Starting Right Cornerback: Mel Blount- 1979 Secondary Positions: Kick Returner(Emergency) -6'3 205. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1970-83https://i.pinimg.com/736x/b9/23/b0/b923b04ae2dc178dffbf92440f2e2d97.jpg The final piece of the secondary. You literally only have to know about the Pass Interference rule changes in '78 to know about Mel. They called it the "Mel Blount Rule" in honor of him. So many guys maiming wideouts, but only one can be honored by the rule. He was certainly large and strong for his position- he was excellent against the run and dominated most of the wideouts he faced, but he was also fast and could run step for step with his targets, a fact that showcased itself when he couldn't maim wideouts beyond five yards anymore. Blount wasn't just the finest example of the old style of pass defense but the finest example of someone who transistioned from the old style to the new style and didn't miss a beat. Blount was selected to the 75th Anniversary team and on his page profile in "75 Seasons" he noted that he would run in step with the receivers and watch their eyes for when the ball was coming before making a play against them. I would have to say that's not something most cornerbacks have the opportunity to do, judging by how often they seem to get burned. The Bench: 23 spots are available on the bench, though it comes with some caveats. There is a possibility of getting a combination kicker-punter, but it's more likely it'll just be one of each. So technically that means there are only 21 spots for non-specialists. Special Teamsters are officially arriving to the NFL thanks to the expanded rosters, meaning less starters on offense or defense are toiling on the Suicide Squads. We've maybe discussed this in prior decades, but it bears repeating anyways; more often than not, the best Special Teamsters tend to be guys on the bench- and those guys are on the bench because they are generally not good enough to be starters to begin with, much less stars in the league. That forces you into a conundrum- do you take the superior starter that as far as you know doesn't play Special Teams, or do you take the benchwarmer who does play on Special Teams? I think nine times out of ten, maybe nineteen out of twenty, you take the starter for your depth. Maybe one or two genuine 'aces' can be added to represent the third side to the game, but largely you can't mess with your depth. A starting eleven on offense and defense will have atrophied depth behind them if you focus entirely on special teams for the bench, especially in later decades when multiple formations and substitutions become the norm. That said, every now and then some starter in a position not considered a place for returners will register some low yardage returns here and there. These are likely guys on the kick return or punt return teams who did something like handle an onside kick or a squib kick, or managed to recover a botched punt return. It's not perfect but it gives you a small idea of which starters saw yeoman duty on kicking teams. Placekicker: Mark Moseley- 1979 Secondary Positions: Kickoff(Alternate), Quarterback(Emergency) -5'11 202. Philadelphia Eagles: 1970/ Houston Oilers: 1971-72/ Washington Redskins: 1974-86/ Cleveland Browns: 1986https://static01.nyt.com/images/2013/01/06/sports/moseley/moseley-jumbo.jpg There was a revolution in terms of kicking style back in the 60's. Beforehand, the preferred method of placekicking was straightforward, planting your toes(fitted with a flat-surfaced boot) into the ball. It was more about compact precision than anything else; training was of a lesser grade in those days and leg power was not something you built up but what you had given to you in your life. Some blessed players had the extra leg strength to go extra far(Lou Groza for an example), but the fifty yard line was sort of the end game for field goals. Then came the foreigners. The Gogolak brothers, the ski jumping Norse named Jan, a balding hapless fool named Garo who was the personification of the "Foreign Kicker" cliche in football movies("I KEEK A TOUCHDOWN!" No [BLEEP], Garo Yepremian actually said this the first time he kicked a field goal). And soon all kinds of weird sounding names and their eventual American counterparts came along, introducing a horrifying new aspect to the kicking game; coming at the ball from an angle and using the instep of the foot as the business end. They called this "Soccer Style" because it was remarkably similar to the way soccer players would boot the ball towards the goal. The instep worked because of the leg swing; a toe-kicker has less room to swing his leg, both from the start(he can't bend his leg back too far) or from the finish(lifting the leg too high also lifts the height of the kick, which can affect how far it can travel). A soccer-kicker is taking his swing at an angle, not just in the direction he's going, but in the leg swing itself. That leaves more space for the lead-up swing, and the follow-through benefits as well because the angle gives more space to lift the leg and doesn't cause the ball to be kicked so high that it can't travel far either. All that led to greater control and greater power for longer distance. All that is certainly ironic, because our choice for kicker this decade is the man who would be the last Toe-Kicker to ever play in the NFL. While these theoretical games are played in proper, pleasant conditions, the criteria for kickers should be their ability to hit from long range and in miserable conditions. Mark is two-for-two here, as his accuracy from 40 to over 50 yards was as good as any during this decade, and he did it largely in the confines of Washington's Robert F. Kennedy stadium, or RFK for short, which was an outdoor stadium in a northern location with some dodgy field maintenance(the last Major League baseball team to play there left before 1972, and the infield dirt remained). It might stand to reason that Mark didn't attempt kicks very far when the conditions were truly lousy, but I've yet to hear of a Placekicker who thrived enough under bad conditions to hit from long range- that would've been newsworthy. Mark's also part of another peculiar quirk. The 1982 season was mutilated by a player's strike during mid-season. The season was ultimately reduced to nine games and a genuine "Tournament" was held for the playoffs that year. Nine games meant a distinct lack of yardage milestones or other stats which seemed to dictate the MVP races year to year, and in the meantime Moseley was near perfect, only missing one kick through the season. He was given the MVP award. Remember back in the 1930's when I marveled over Mel Hein winning the MVP in 1938? It's true that nobody who played an Offensive Lineman position ever again won that award, but this is just goofy; a kicking specialist should never win an MVP award unless he is a Space Alien who can hit from 70+ yards like a machine. It was the perfect capper to a FUBAR season. On a minor plus, Mark doubled as the Emergency and Scout Team QB for the Redskins, so there's something for Training Camp. The lone drawback is that he's more of a high booter on kickoffs than a long distance boot. Punter: Ray Guy- 1979 Secondary Positions: Placekicker(Emergency), Kickoff(Primary), Quarterback(Emergency), Safety(DESPERATE Emergency) -6'3 195. Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders: 1973-86https://nbcprofootballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/rayguy-e1353081459260.jpg Would you ever draft a Punter in the 1st Round? It has only happened twice; both times in the 70's. The second was in '79 by the Saints, but that was a little more understandable; Russell Erxleben was a combination Punter-Kicker with a booming leg(he made a Sixty-Seven yard kick against Rice in 1977) and the hope was he could do both jobs at once. Turns out he had a bit of a bust career and was largely a punter. Such is life. Guy however was the first way back in 1973 and like Erxleben was a multi-dimensional threat. He was not only a placekicker as well as a punter for Southern Mississippi, but he also did time as a safety, starting for Southern Miss in his senior season, intercepting eight passes, and making All-American. His kicking was enough(61 yarder against Utah in a snowstorm) that he assumed some of those duties during the College All-Star Game(somehow he was named MVP of that game). With that in mind, it's a surprise the Raiders didn't have him placekick as well. Well, maybe it shouldn't be a wonder; by this point, placekicking and punting were so separate in terms of what you needed to do to build your body up that mixing the two seems to invite injury. Anyway, Guy was considered to be the first punter who could win games for his team. I mean pure punter, we're not talking about an excellent position player who punted on the side like a Sammy Baugh or a Yale Lary. Ray's specialty was in hang time. Essentially, hang time is the amount of time a punted ball remains in the air before it is caught by a returner or hits the ground. The higher you kick the punt, theoretically, the longer the hang time. Laymen would probably opt for a greater distance rather than a greater height, but that greater distance means the ball spends less time in the air. A returner catching a long line drive will have considerably more open space to work with than a high floater that takes forever to fall. By the time the returner catches the high ball, the punting team has already streaked downfield and would likely either force the returner to signal a fair catch... or jolt the ever-loving snot out of the guy and make him cough up the ball... or his spleen. Either one. Guy was the master of hang time, and could astonish with how high he could belt the ball. The 1976 Pro Bowl is a classic example. The game was played in the Louisiana Superdome, and at the time they had a hexagonial video screen attatched from the very center of the ceiling and it hung about ninety feet from the ground. Guy boomed a punt high enough to hit the screen, and afterwards the screen was elevated up to 200 feet instead of ninety. A wrong was eventually righted in 2014 when Ray Guy was finally elected to the Hall of Fame. Backup Quarterback: Joe Theismann- 1979 -6'0 192. Washington Redskins: 1974-85https://i.pinimg.com/736x/00/eb/49/00eb49f1c59a73784385784fb318e1d0.jpg The bitter truth is there's no sweet spot in the player pool from which to find a backup Quarterback. About the only legit backup on the list that ultimately mattered was Earl Morrall, whose teams made it to SB V and VII. In V he split time with Johnny Unitas and was otherwise underwhelming. He gets kudos for quarterbacking the Dolphins through most of their Undefeated run in '72 because Bob Griese was injured, but that was caretaking a run-heavy franchise and in the end Morrall was shelved for a returning Griese in VII anyways. That leaves you with genuine starters, so there will be some chafe over riding the bench no matter what. From there I looked for those who competed in Super Bowls and Playoff games through the decade and largely found them either unremarkable, stunk up the joint, or they had a complication that carried distinct warning signs. I looked at Roger Staubach and saw Tom Landry still called the plays for him, so that was a no-no. Ken Stabler was a south paw and playing QB is the one position in team sports where switching a righty for a lefty ISN'T an advantage. Bob Griese was primarily a caretaker but he had a nice late career resurgence(brought on by him wearing actual glasses during the game), problem is those were years where he didn't make the playoffs. Fran Tarkenton constantly stunk up the joint in Super Bowls. The rest of the guys that took part in the playoffs had performances that ranged from decent to terrible- the closest was probably Ken Anderson of Cincinnati, but that was a brief spell. Dan Fouts made the playoffs in '79 but threw a stinker(5 interceptions). I would have to say that Joe Theismann is the best of the remainders who didn't make the playoffs(and to be perfectly fair, his team went 10-6 in '79 so he wasn't propping up a bad team), but I would also have to admit this is primarily about him fitting into a particular niche than about his overall ability. Theismann is considered one of the better holders in NFL history. Now, given that these days it's a punter or a backup QB that handles the holding duties, the layman's opinion is it's a dinky-dunk position that might as well be glossed over. Those same laymen by the way want to hunt down and slaughter these same holders on the rare time they botch the handling of the ball on the snap, so [BLEEP] them. The thing is, we're in an era where there's a kind of transition period for holders. It was usually starting quarterbacks at first, with the odd player from other positions joining the club. A mobile player who held for kicks and started in another position, they could be expected to be dangerous on fakes, taking the ball and running. Theismann as a quarterback offered a wrinkle that made backup QBs the preferred holders for a good stretch of time up to the present decade; he added the additional dimension of the pass to the fake. In addition to all of that he was still holding for kicks after earning the starting job, and more importantly held for Mark Moseley, so there's a comfort factor. That said, there are numerous flaws to using Theismann in this situation. He didn't call the plays on offense with Washington- at least not by the end of the decade, but he was annoyed enough that one could see him adjusting properly(more than what I could say about Roger Staubach). He only recently settled down and began to discipline himself, which meant significantly less hot-dogging and risking his limbs(This was a guy who in '74 volunteered to return punts as a quarterback. Even now we rave about backup QBs who volunteer at other positions). But the biggest flaw is that Theismann considers himself "1A" rather than "#2" if it came down to it, something that manifested during the many years he spent backing up Billy Kilmer and Sonny Jurgensen. To give you a better idea, he was originally drafted in '71 by the Miami Dolphins. Contract negotiations broke down, but Joe didn't want to back up a young Bob Griese, so he went to the CFL and played for the Toronto Argonauts for a few seasons. And yes, that means he would've been the backup for the '72 Dolphins... and maybe his hot-dogging mentality might've cost Miami their perfect season. So... yeah, he's deeply competitive, and not quite 'adjusted' to the idea of backing anyone up. That can be a fatal problem, but we'll have to roll with it. Backup Runningback: Terry Metcalf- 1975 Secondary Positions: Kick Returner(Primary), Punt Returner(Alternate) -5'10 185. St. Louis Cardinals: 1973-77/ Washington Redskins: 1981https://i.pinimg.com/736x/9d/5e/fe/9d5efed4aaf98aef728931ebd4531285.jpg Technically speaking, the concept of a "Change-of-Pace" back shouldn't be that applicable when it comes to this All-Decade team. For the most part Walter Payton and Franco Harris do pretty much anything and everything on offense. If there's a weak point, it's that they aren't utilized all that much as pass receivers, but they were still effective when given the chance. This team needs a Preston Pearson-type backing up Payton. This Pearson, not related to Drew, played for the Steelers and then for the Cowboys during this decade, sometimes a starter but more often a backup do did return duties. It's as good a template as any to utilize. And of the kick returners who qualified, none were as consistent and dangerous as Terry. Metcalf played for the Cardinals during the Air Coryell days of the 70's, which emphasized the pass. He was used rather typically for any runningback in the Coryell system- an occasional runner that was used in the air, kind of like James Brooks with the 80's Chargers. That said he was elusive and speedy and could be a terror in the open field, a skill that was a major positive when he also returned punts and kicks. Alas, this time was also the rise of Bill Bidwell, who had just passed away recently. One shouldn't speak ill of the dead... but the guy was a penny pincher who let a solid nucleus rot away and in the next decade abandon St. Louis for the virgin southwest of Arizona, ultimately leading to one of the more misfitting team names in the NFL. This explains the strange gap between '77 and '81- with his contract ran out, Metcalf went up north to the CFL and toiled for a few years with the hapless Toronto Argonauts. There he was billed and used as a do-everything back with little help, and though he kept chugging along, he ultimately failed to pan out. Injuries eventually finished off his playing career and then he hit rock bottom and picked himself up. His son, Eric, would become an NFL mainstay in later decades. The only real knock was a tendency to fumble; his carrying style was just wiiiiiiiide open with his carrying arm stretched away from him while he made his moves. Backup Runningback/Fullback: MacArthur Lane- 1972 -6'1 220. St. Louis Cardinals: 1968-71/ Green Bay Packers: 1972-74/ Kansas City Chiefs: 1975-78https://nflpastplayers.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/macarthur-lane-greenbay-packerss.jpg Now that we're getting into the latter decades, some positions are becoming very deep. The backfield is such a case. You have the starting two backs, and then a third, but after that you have guys who aren't seeing much PT on offense except in very specific circumstances. As far as our team is concerned, we have a crucial weakness to fix; we lack a power back for the short-yardage stuff. That sounds simple, yes? There are so many elite power backs to choose from. But there are complications; the back in question should have enough burst left to be more than just a battle-scarred battering ram only good for one-yard plunges, he ought to have decent enough hands to be a safety valve, he ought to be able to lead block and pass block(we do need a backup fullback after all), and he must be willing to spend the majority of his time on Special Teams in coverage or blocking. Lane's not an especially well-known player from the 70's. Never won a Super Bowl, only had brief tastes of the Playoffs. Was too valuable a lead blocker to keep as the primary ball carrier. His prime was spent with the Green Bay Packers, where he largely ran under the shadow of Fullback John Brockington(the first player to rush for 1000 yards in his first three seasons), lead blocking for Brockington and catching safety valve passes, and yes, carrying the rock a few times here and there. But Lane's position was rather unique; on just about any other team he'd have been penciled in as the Fullback; with Green Bay he was lined up on the weak side and was too powerful to ignore as a runner. Not that this helped the Packers much- they never cultivated a complimentary passing game during those years(their weakness was exposed in the '72 Playoffs, when the Washington Redskins heavily played the run and the Packers refused to pass and were hammered 16-3.). A fullback being a safety valve on offense probably isn't anything to write home about, but in the class of fullbacks who could power run and play on the Kamikaze units(Lane was a Wedge-Buster), Lane had the best upside as a receiver. The only small thing we'd have to teach him would be as a Personal Protector on punting units- that's usually the last blocker between the punter and the defenders, who sometimes has to make a split-second decision between which penetrating defenders to block. Backup Runningback/Tight End: Warren Bankston- 1974 -6'4 235. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1969-72/ Oakland Raiders: 1973-78https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/head-coach-john-madden-of-the-oakland-raiders-on-the-sidelines-with-picture-id55725687?s=612x612 As it turns out, yes, we do have a few spots to spare for the genuine Special Teams aces. In a vacuum, Bankston is one of the best Special Teamsters of the decade, but this comes with a caveat; if he were more talented he would be starting somewhere. All aces have this problem; the ones who've built up a long career on the Kamikaze units weren't good enough to start, and those that were good enough to start eventually did and moved onto the primary units. So Bankston on the whole isn't as talented as his counterparts on this team. More importantly, this tends to mean there's a ground floor to how much this team can handle in terms of injury before one or more facets of the game become useless- like relying on Emergency Quarterbacks. That said, a pure Special Teams ace is a relief when it comes to bellyaching over PT on the primary units, and he's already on the beam as opposed to a converted starter(look at how sloppy Special Teams are during Pro Bowls for an idea of what happens when Starters get thrust into a reserve role they haven't played in a long while). Granted, there are some players who might seem much better for this role(Marv Hubbard, Mark van Eeeghan, Rocky Bleier), but Bankston offered more utility from the deep bench. Bankston came into College as a Quarterback, moved to Runningback, came to the Professional Ranks with the just-rebuilding Steelers, and was largely a reserve in the backfield, probably better used as a pass protector than a pure runner. It happens; Sometimes college stars have to readjust and become role players professionally. Warren adjusted, in fact his height led to him being experimented on as a Tight End- which is why the Raiders traded for him after '72. In the end, Oakland valued him so much they made him their Special Teams Captain, and he'd be the one to call the coin toss for Oakland- this included SB XI. In addition to filling in as a 5th RB and a 3rd TE, Warren worked on virtually every kind of Special Teams unit that existed back then. All Coverage and Return units, including those that Blocked Kicks. That's some great utility. '76 Bankston was involved with a Super Bowl win(and had a crucial blocked punt against the Steelers in the AFC Championship), but '74 Bankston was at his best as a Special Teamster; 9 tackles, countless blocks, and even a blocked punt. He wasn't quite versed in the Raider Offense, but then we're not running the Raider Offense, so there you go. Backup Wide Receiver: John Stallworth- 1979 -6'2 191. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1974-87https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a9/60/50/a9605003846f5d8495bb6cdd94febf89.jpg I had really been looking for a speedy WR who could not only step up as a starter if needed, but also double as a Gunner on Punt Returns. It's not as if great receivers were never on special teams- Warren Wells was a tackling demon in '67 while he was one of the primary threats on the Raiders- but by the 70's, if you were dangerous enough to be a major threat on offense, you were not saddled with any kind of Special Teams duty short of returning kicks and punts. The best Special Teamsters at receiver? Guys like Bill Malinchak of the Redskins or Brian Baschnagel of the Bears. You never heard of them; they didn't make much of an impact on offense. You probably heard of Vince Papale of the Eagles, only because Marky Mark played him in Invincible. By the time I was looking at starters who could be tough enough to take on such a duty, I was starting to scrap my idea and just going for someone I could plug in as a starter on a moment's notice should Swann or Warfield get banged up(now Warfield, there's a wideout who could theoretically function as a gunner...) And if I just wanted a 3rd top wideout, why not get Bradshaw's remaining top weapon in John Stallworth? Stallworth wasn't as graceful as Swann, but by the time he established himself, he was every bit as productive, equally capable of stretching defenses deep and catching zingers over the middle. He was considered slow, largely from a lackluster 40 time while he was being scouted for the '74 NFL Draft(slower than Swann, who struggled to post a sub 4.6 time himself), but had a better "pad" speed. Some players just move faster on the gridiron than they do running the 40. He turned into an excellent route runner with good hands who had a thirst for making great catches, like the game-clincher in SB XIV against the Rams. The Steelers go into the 4th quarter down 19-17 against an upstart team run by a former Steeler Coach(good ol' Bud Carson), and down some weapons; Lynn Swann is out after having been upended making a catch and the running game is plodding. Ball's on their own 26, and they're lined up with both wideouts to the right and the tight end split out to the left; John's in the slot against Rod Perry(a man who had an unbelievable '77 but was a flash in the pan ultimately). He runs an inside release for about ten yards before he feints a turn inwards and gets the main safety keying on him to bite on the move and zooms past him. Poor Perry is suddenly out of position once the safeties are left in the dust and he has to make a desperate leaping swipe at the bomb Bradshaw throws. The ball slips past Perry and into Stallworth's arms(albeit from the wrong shoulder) and from there it's a jaunt to the end zone. In truth, one could see Stallworth taking the second wideout spot from Warfield, but for now he's the principal backup. Backup Wide Receiver: Rick Upchurch- 1976 Secondary Positions: Punt Returner(Primary), Kick Returner(Secondary) -5'10 175. Denver Broncos: 1975-83https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5jRDome29Bs/TJiSNmtcLOI/AAAAAAAABt8/S4uf_KUDRKQ/s1600/Upchurch_Rick4_Broncos.jpg The choice originally came down to Upchurch and Billy "White Shoes" Johnson of the Houston Oilers(it couldn't be both as neither were truly dangerous Kick Returners)... until it was discovered that Johnson failed to qualify for the decade. That ended the argument before it ever began. If you want a comparison anyway, Billy was flashier, Upchurch was more straight-line. He didn't dance too much when fielding punts, he was more apt to cut and go north-south. '76 Upchurch was at his pinnacle when it came to being a terror on Punt Returns and he was still serviceable in Kick Returns as well, but '79 Upchurch does deserve some mention, as unlike Johnson he was propelled- albeit briefly- into the role of primary wideout for his team. As a receiver Rick was fast and elusive, though small and ultimately unable to elevate Denver's Pre-Elway passing game(a shade of this can be seen in Devin Hester's career), but he was taken out of the Kick Return game and was merely good as a Punt Returner. Backup Tight End: Bob Klein- 1974 -6'5 235. Los Angeles Rams: 1969-76/ San Diego Chargers: 1977-79https://alphacentauri32.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/101.jpg Offensive Sets with two Tight Ends are a bit rare in the Pittsburgh Template. My consensus is they were largely used- if ever- for short running situations. This largely means your backup TE is going to be on the bench and running with the Kamikazes most of the time. He'll likely get one or two passes thrown to him a game, either as a brief substitute, or once in a blue moon during a 2-TE package. As such you'll need a guy known more for his blocking and won't raise a stink about being the backup to Casper. Taking just about all of the remaining 'stars' out of the equation(due to lack of available touches), we come to Klein, who was one of the best blockers in the remaining pool while having stable hands and good enough speed to be useful. Rams management briefly pondered moving him to the Offensive Line- Pittsburgh actually did such a thing with Larry Brown(not the basketball coach), trouble was Brown supposedly had hands of stone and Klein was good enough to be a decent option for the Dan Fouts-led Chargers at the end of the decade. Had the Pittsburgh template used Tight Ends more, this choice could've been more opened up. Backup Tackle: Jon Kolb- 1976 -6'2 262. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1969-81https://i.pinimg.com/originals/4c/8b/c8/4c8bc8bbf66a09991ac1444bc366136f.jpgBackup Guard: Sam Davis- 1976 -6'1 255. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1967-79http://cdn.sportsmemorabilia.com/sports-product-image/sam-davis-pittsburgh-steelers-action-signed-8x10398-t2798597-1024.jpg Consider these to be Chuck Noll selections. Talent-wise, there are far superior options remaining in the player pool, there's no question. What Kolb and Davis have is team-based intangibles on top of their own skills. These were guys who protected Bradshaw's blindside through almost all of the seventies, who learned Radakovich's trapping system and can instruct the newcomers about the finer attributes of the system(even if the blocking scheme on this team isn't the pure Pittsburgh system). More to the point, these are what you would designate as Glue Guys, players who can make a unit mesh together as one. Kolb's glue is his degree of versatility. As a Left Tackle he was precise and thorough as a pass protector, but he was also one of the strongest men in the NFL who took up weightlifting and actually competed in two World's Strongest Men competitions(4th place finishes. In a competition against NFL strongmen in '80 he took 2nd). It was his strength that was the catalyst for the Steelers running to the weak side so often. That offers some idea that he could play Right Tackle in a pinch. He even dabbled as a Center early on in his career, making him a potential emergency player at that position. Davis is one of those virtually unnoticed players- to a greater extent than Dwight White or Mike Wagner, to be honest. Outside of Webster, few O-Linemen in Pittsburgh got many accolades, but Davis was a perfect representation of a glue guy on and off the field. On the field, he was an excellent puller and trapper for the system, and was perfectly comfortable in pass protection(in fact, he outplayed the "Manster" Randy White in SB XIII). Off the field, he was an excellent mentor and mediator, the guy who could go to the coaches and the players and hash out problems. Like Kolb, there's nothing to indicate that Davis couldn't function on the right side(though some communications issues will have to be polished- Kolb and Davis spent so much time on the field together that they eventually started communicating assignments through Archie Bunker "grunting", if you can believe that). The finest hour for Davis is easily SB XIII, but we're using a slightly younger version of him in '76- alongside Kolb- primarily because these two are probably gonna be needed for Special Teams work when they aren't being mentors and teachers. Can't go any younger- Davis injured his foot before SB IX, and lost his starting job in '75 for a year. Anything before that and you lose not only the winning edge but also a good portion of the knowledge these two can dispense. Backup Center: Rich Saul- 1975 -6'3 241. Los Angeles Rams: 1970-81https://i.pinimg.com/736x/73/a3/01/73a301825c0e635fae4feec9c6214b67--american-football-nfl-football.jpg Fundamentally, this is a weird position for Saul. This is just before his string of Pro Bowl selections starting in '76, and just after getting the starting Center job for the Rams. Prior to this, he had labored on Special Teams as a reserve... where he was one of the finest of the decade. Much of the spotlight on his performance there can be attributed to George Allen, not for any instruction(he left the Rams to coach for Washington after '70 in Saul's rookie year) but for Allen specifically labeling him as one of the best. Even with only a rookie year spent under Allen, he still called Saul the "Best long snapper and coverage guy ever for me", which says a LOT. Saul was a Long Snapper and was undoubtedly technical and precise, but his best strength was his downfield charging and tackling. It made him a great contributor on the punting unit. He was also a Wedge-Buster and manned the Front-Wall on returns. That said, he's a bit more mortal at Center. He was a technician, built more for pass protection but he did have strength enough to survive in the trenches for twelve years and he was capable of leading on sweeps, a rarity for centers. He's a textbook overachiever, but there are plenty of problems. We don't have him at the right year purely as a center for two reasons; one, we wanted to keep Saul close to his days as a Special Teamster to prevent that aspect of his game from rusting. And two, before Dan Radakovich arrived in Los Angeles the blocking style for the Rams was called the Slob Sweep... which was basically a strangling, mulching style of play. The idea was to nab Saul before he spends too many years starting in such a system. The good news is he offers versatility across the entire line should it be needed. Even so, we're more or less sacrificing some stability at Center to bolster our Special Teams. Backup Defensive End: Tommy Hart- 1976 -6'4 245. San Francisco 49ers: 1968-77/ Chicago Bears: 1978-79/ New Orleans Saints: 1980https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/defensive-end-tommy-hart-of-the-san-francisco-49ers-tries-to-beat-picture-id80732248 We're not yet at the point where Defensive Linemen would be rotated in and out to preserve their gas, so a backup at these spots isn't likely to see much- if any- action on Defense, apart from injuries. The main contribution will be Special Teams, either as a Kick Blocker or on the Suicide Squads. There are a great many superstars at this spot, but how many would willingly do the grunt work from off the bench? It's not something I wanna risk, especially in positions that don't really have stats. So I mainly want a guy who can either block kicks or be mobile enough to cover and block on returns. If he gets into the game on Defense, I'd like someone who can play both weak and strong side, can rush the passer and still hold up against the run if at all possible. That's a tall order given the worry about PT. Hart registers more as a flash-in-the-pan to the casual fan than a legit star. Part of that is toiling for most of his career with the 49ers, who had a brief surge of notoriety with John Brodie at the helm but faded to obscurity when he retired. The other part was scheme. The 49ers at the time played a Flex Defense like the Cowboys, which made the linemen develop discipline and left them not always satisfied. Hart was a more or less failed linebacker with good speed(4.65 or so) who bulked up one off-season and found new life as a defensive end starting in '70. He was the more stable side of the edge rushers, teamed up with Cedric Hardman, a classic All-Rush, No-Run-D end. In '76 a new straight ahead style was implemented, leading to Hart getting his first Pro Bowl and consensus All-Pro accolade. It was the allowance of aggression that helped earn those accolades, largely because sack numbers were still unofficial. Sadly that was the end of the peak years. After a down year in '77, Hart was traded to Chicago, where he took part on one more event in the Opening Week. The Bears faced the Cardinals that day, and lined up opposite of him was Dan Dierdorf, whom was actually riding a sackless streak like you wouldn't believe; not since mid-season in '75 did Dierdorf give up a sack. Hart nabbed two that game. Special Teams will be where Hart is primarily used, though it's been over six years since he was last required to take part on Special Teams and at the age of 32, he's not the spry guy he was in his youth. He's also smarter, with many years of hard work under his belt. This helps should he actually be required to play on Defense; good enough to play the pass or the run, smart enough to play on the weak side if needed, willing enough to sacrifice what's left of his body on Special Teams. Backup Defensive Tackle: Larry Brooks- 1977 -6'3 255. Los Angeles Rams: 1972-82https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/los-angeles-rams-defensive-tackle-larry-brooks-closes-in-on-steelers-picture-id81087451 (#90) We technically have two backup tackles, but for now we'll focus on run defense. The requirement is the player needs to be good at playing the run and "reading" the offense, a guy who can clean up behind the primary pass rushers but can make moves of his own too. In short, we want someone we can pencil in behind Ernie Holmes. Brooks joined the Rams at the very twilight of the George Allen years. Well, no, that's not quite true. George Allen's last year with the Rams was in '70, but the strategem Allen employed on his defensive line remained largely the same despite the new coaching staff(largely because it was an inferior staff). This was a problem because Offenses had in fact evolved over the years and could execute intricate game plans designed to exploit what defenses gave them. Long story short, the Head Coach was canned, and in came Chuck Knox, who revived the Rams and fixed the defense. Throughout the rest of the 70's, the Rams were one of the key contenders in the NFC, finally making it to the Super Bowl in '79, albeit as a Playoff Underdog working with a Backup QB. A lot of that was due to the defense, who bolstered greats such as Jack Youngblood and Isiah Robertson, but Brooks was the interior man of the time. The "Butt" technique was in vogue. Essentially, it involved slamming your hands onto the blocker's shoulder pads and slamming your facemask into his. It's disorienting, but it's also controlling. Done right, the blocker is stunned, his momentum stopped. Then you can pull him aside and get to the ballcarrier or the passer, whichever had the ball. Brooks was reputed to be the very best at the technique. He was also one of the best when it came to running through "trash", which is the bodies that latter the field due to all the cut blocking that went on back then. Backside pursuits were the main diet for his tackles. He was also criminally underrated as a pass rusher, one who could roll with the best of them. No less than guys like Gene Upshaw and John Hannah have testified to his greatness in the trenches. '75 Brooks suffered a knee injury that dogged him through the rest of his career, but we're going with '77 Brooks for a reason; It was the first year since Merlin Olsen retired. Going back to the 60's NFL Team, Olsen was playing the same role that he did for the Fearsome Foursome in the 60's; he was the "cop", cleaning up behind the main rushers. After he left, who was going to take that place but Brooks? Backup Defensive Tackle: Jerry Sherk- 1976 -6'4 258. Cleveland Browns: 1970-81http://www.dignityafterfootball.org/images/sherkgoodrush-2.jpg The initial hope was to get a pass rusher that could not only play inside, but also offer extra depth on the edge. This proved unfeasible; nobody worthwhile was being shuffled inside and out anymore. Combine that with PT issues and you can see the dilemma, so the only thing to do was find an understudy behind Joe Greene, someone who could feasibly play his spot on the line straight up. By all accounts a Highly Consistent DT, Sherk's peak coincided with a Defensive Player of the Year honor in '76. There are superior options in terms of talent, but Sherk seems the least likely to gripe about being on the bench, or doing grunt work on Special Teams. He does have six blocked kicks to his credit(well, technically five blocked kicks and a tackled punter), which gives him some value on the kick blocking units. Jerry's one of a handful of defensive tackles in the league whose careers were undone by knee injuries. A preseason injury in '77 started the slow decline from his peak, robbing him of much of the burst that was used to sack quarterbacks. The real indignity came in '79 at Philadelphia. Sherk was getting an infected boil scraped off his arm, only he contacted a staph infection from the stadium's Astroturf. That infection almost killed him, ended his season, and almost erased the entirety of the next one. He came back in '81 for a lackluster campaign as a pass rush specialist before retiring for good. Backup Linebacker: Randy Gradishar- 1978 -6'3 233. Denver Broncos: 1974-83https://i.pinimg.com/736x/8e/70/3f/8e703fc7368121a24f1c904f8b23bf2c--sports-uniforms-football-uniforms.jpg I need an understudy for the Middle Linebacker spot, but I also need a player who can duplicate what Jack Lambert does on the field. There are those who will argue that Randy is superior to Jack, but the lack of Super Bowl rings hurts their side of the argument. It's probably also the reason Randy isn't in the Hall of Fame. The observation goes that Randy was just as good in close quarters and stuffing the run as Jack, had the speed to cover deep like Jack... and had a far more complex role on his defense than Jack. In '76 the Broncos switched to the 3-4. At the time Randy was the Middle Linebacker and was already a dang good player, but the 3-4 forced him to take on significantly more responsibilities in terms of lane discipline and pass coverage. He handled all those and more. In fact, it's almost too much, as having him go back to a 4-3 may slow him down some during training camp(you'd think it would be simple, but offenses and defenses are getting more complicated and players switching teams are no longer seamlessly fitting in unless they're bringing their old system with them). As far as PT goes, there is one slight advantage; At times the Steelers would switch out a DL for a different player. Typically in the later years this would be a DB, but sometimes they've switched in an LB and gone to a 3-4. Gradishar is lightyears above whichever backup LB the Steelers have had for the gimmick, making the 3-4 a fascinating wrinkle from a pass defense standpoint(Randy was Jack's only equal in some of the coverage responsibilities Lambert saw as the Middle Linebacker). But yes, he'll have to do grunt work on Special Teams, but nothing I've seen indicates he'll chafe over it. Backup Linebacker: Matt Blair- 1976 -6'5 232. Minnesota Vikings: 1974-85https://usatvikingswire.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/usatsi_9037952.jpg?w=1000&h=600&crop=1 This is a slight betrayal of a Pittsburgh preference(smaller, thinner guys), but Blair's athleticism is more than enough to meet the demands of the system. Matt was steady and solid as a Linebacker, which is even better when you consider he played on the Strong Side. I'm fairly certain there are no superior players left on that side in the player pool(depending on what you think about "Hollywood" Henderson and he had some issues), so that automatically makes Blair the first OLB off the bench in case of injuries(because you never know where the Aliens will line their strong side up). Still, the primary contribution Blair will give us is in blocking kicks. Only Ted Hendricks and Alan Page are superior to Blair during this era. Granted, this is largely situational; the majority of Blair's blocks came from PATs. He was still able to reach for field goals and punts(like in SB IX, where his block led to Minnesota's only points of the game), but knifing through linemen wasn't his true specialty. What he would do during Placekicks was he would take a running start and leap above the scrum, reaching out with his wingspan for the ball. He equated this to dunking in basketball, but it's much closer to an Alley-Oop because Blair has to time his leap so his apex coincides with the kicked ball reaching the line of scrimmage. That makes his block more difficult than the traditional method of rushing the kicker and getting there when the ball has just left the kicker's boot. Backup Linebacker: Andy Russell- 1974 -6'2 225. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1963, 1966-76https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/andy-russell-of-the-pittsburgh-steelers-in-action-against-the-st-picture-id108007920?s=612x612 I'll admit I wasn't bullish on this guy in the prior time I did this(this decade was the furthest I got), I still wasn't bullish when I started this decade up... and to be honest, I'm still not. Russell's the closest thing to a weak link the Steeler LB corps has(largely from a lack of athleticism when compared to Lambert and Ham multiplied by his age), and was one of the more replaceable parts of the team in my eyes. I'm starting to come around to the guy, if for no other reason than he's an experienced cog who knows the defensive system and can be a good veteran voice for the newcomers. Russell, by the time of the Super Bowls, was easily one of the last people left from the doldrum era that preceded them(one of two, I think. The other is Rocky Bleier). The Steelers weren't good in the 60's, only peaking around 'decent' during the time of Big Daddy Lipscomb and John Henry Johnson, and then flatlining in '69 with a 1-13 record. Then Chuck Noll arrived, and Russell managed to hang on as a hold over and continue to play high quality football even as great players were drafted into the system. He was intelligent and like Ham and Hendricks knew how to position himself right. Still though, the mobility's an issue. A key playoff matchup in '75 against the Baltimore Colts underscores this. Late in the fourth, Pittsburgh puts the game on ice by forcing a fumble deep in their red zone. Russell scoops it up and rambles... and rambles... and rambles... and finally makes it in. QB Bert Jones tries to make a tackle on him twice during the sequence. Center Ray Mansfield joked to Russell that the TV Channel went to commercial and came back in time to watch him score(for Yinzer fans, this game was also the birthdate of those "Terrible Towels"). Backup Linebacker: Russell "Rusty" Tillman- 1975 -6'2 230: Washington Redskins: 1971-77http://cdn.sportsmemorabilia.com/sports-product-image/4-t5897758-340.jpg For a fourth backup linebacker, we're going with a luxury. Rusty was nicknamed "The King" strictly for his work on Special Teams during his career. He was the Captain of his team's ST Unit for a four-year stretch and learned his trade from no less than George Allen. Like Bankston, he took part in all of the units though he made more of his reputation as a "Wedge-Buster". He also seemed to have a reputation for scooping up squib kicks and the like, as evidenced by the 13 kick returnms he's credited for during his career(most players not given the primary job of returning struggle to get those kinds of numbers). That's not to say he was entirely selfless; he was convinced he could play Middle Linebacker for George. Still, he rolled up his sleeves and got his job done anyways, which is a good attitude to have on the bench. If worst comes to worst, he's our emergency starter at Middle Linebacker. Backup Cornerback: James "J.T." Thomas- 1976 -6'2 196. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1973-77, 1979-81/ Denver Broncos: 1982https://i.pinimg.com/736x/e2/e2/68/e2e268390dc9ce866efcaa4b6a655109--steeler-nation-pittsburgh-steelers.jpg Another Steeler, huh? Well, there are two factors to consider; one is the system, which prefered big strong corners that could move and cover but also play the run. That kills a lot of candidates, many of whom just missed or just made the six foot threshhold. The other factor is we're treating the CB position like the WR; we're using one spot for a dedicated understudy, and in this case, there's no better understudy than one who actually played for the Steelers. Thomas is one of the more underrated players Pittsburgh had; one who didn't develop the reputation Mel Bount had, and didn't rack up the interceptions, but you didn't hear any bad news coming out of the left side of the Steelers secondary. The left side was not a weak link in the years Thomas played there, even though it should've been the desired destination for the ball. A better judge of his talents came after '77 when Free Safety Glen Edwards was traded to San Diego. JT was the first choice to be moved to Free Safety. Unfortunately he had to sit out the year due to a blood disorder known as Boeck's Sarcoid. He would take over the job in '79, albeit with marginal results, but by that point the defense was growing old anyways. The only downgrade is that he'll have to get a crach course on the '78 rules and he'll have to do grunt work on Special Teams. Backup Cornerback: Curtis Johnson- 1972 -6'1 196. Miami Dolphins: 1970-78https://i.pinimg.com/736x/cf/1d/9a/cf1d9ab17b99aa977e968a6dec005509--miami-dolphins-football.jpg I primarily wanted an edge blocker at this spot, but I also wanted someone who was an able pass defender and not too small in regards to playing the Steeler style of defense. I think Johnson fits the bill the best. He was one of the infamous members of the "No-Name Defense" that drove Miami to two Super Bowls and a perfect '72 season. I just spotted you one of the members, so stop reading and without cheating try to think of how many members you know about. Okay, you're back and I'm presuming you didn't cheat. I'm also quite confident that the only players who could be named at a level close to 'casual' would be Nick Buoniconti and Jake Scott. Everyone else, only the die-hards, and even that's not guaranteed. All Johnson did was provide steady cornerback play through almost all of the decade for the Dolphins, but he and Lloyd Mumphord combined for a devastating and sometimes unpredictable edge rush during kicks and punts(Johnson bagged three punts in '72). That was the decising factor(sadly, Mumphord was too small and not a starter to make this team). That said, like Thomas he'll need a crash course on the '78 rules. Backup Safety: Donnie Shell- 1978 -5'11 190. Pittsburgh Steelers: 1974-87https://i.pinimg.com/originals/07/d2/b2/07d2b2a05c3c1f2a2cc31e7811b53c97.png Look at that picture. That was against Earl Campbell in his prime! That knocked him out of the game! You didn't knock Earl Campbell out of games like that! Earl Campbell once buried his helmet into Isiah Robertson, kept rumbling, and had his shirt exploded on the same play! Earl Campbell once ran into Jack Tatum at the goal line, lost consciousness during the collision, and woke up in the end zone! Earl Campbell was a secret love affair with a Bull and a Tank! If Earl Campbell ran into you they had to scrape you off the turf with a spatula! If Earl Campbell collided with you, not only would your helmet fly off, there'd be an even chance your severed HEAD came with it! And this five-eleven one-ninety guy charges in and not only stops him cold, but breaks his rib in the process. They called Donnie "Torpedo" for a good reason. He was a college linebacker converted to safety and was built more stocky than lanky. Even so, he became one of the best coverage strong safeties in the league and was a thunderous force in the box for Pittsburgh. It's just a pity he was never a Free Safety(which I dared to actually try the last time I tried this). Shell '78 is only two years into his starting gig. This is roughly for the same reasons for what we did with Rich Saul; we wanted Donnie close to his exploits on Special Teams, where he was a lethal cover guy, and as a change-up on sub-packages on defense; sometimes they would sub him in as a "nickel linebacker", which seems like a fancy way of saying they could run either a pure nickel or a 3-4 with Shell on the field. That's great flexibility. They did occasionally use that same gimmick when Donnie became a starter, but not the Special Teams stuff. We would've gone with '77, but that's a no-no year given all the controversies and incidents going on during that year. Backup Safety: Thomas "Thom" Darden- 1978 -6'2 195. Cleveland Browns: 1972-81https://i.pinimg.com/736x/36/78/c1/3678c1e230436d4525db44136767c845.jpg For our final spot, we need a Free Safety. We also need someone who was successfull after the '78 Rule Changes(beating a dead horse, I know) and won't object to doing Special Teams work. I'm not completely sure about the third requirement, but Darden fills out the rest. Even now(and if you exclude the Baltimore Ravens), Darden remains the top safety produced in the history of the Cleveland Browns, and had his best season in '78 with ten interceptions and near-consensus All-pro Status, which was the peak of his summit years in the league. He was also an adept run defender and could hit. As for adversity, he lost the '75 season to a knee injury at a time when players weren't guaranteed to be the same after recovering. He recovered, and had the best stretch of his career. As for Special Teams, he was briefly involved as a returner early in his career, then presumably he was left off since he was a valuable starter. As no truly reputed Special Teamster that qualified played safety, that leaves no alternative options from that end. The Discarded: Oh dear gods. I'm gonna need a few shots to get me through this. I suppose I should start with the Steelers players who didn't make the list. There are only four of any note; Back Rocky Bleier, Center Ray Mansfield, Tight End/Right Tackle Larry Brown, and Free Safety Glen Edwards. Bleier's technically a "third guard" which is pretty valuable when in regards to a bench spot, trouble was he was a halfback in terms of size and we just needed a fullback-type. He lost out to Bankston by virtue of Bankston's versatility, but this could probably be a Chuck Noll decision. I imagine Mansfield would've been a willing special teamster, but he didn't have Saul's potential in that department. Larry Brown might not have hands of stone, but the consensus was that Bob Klein was more useful as a receiving option above all else. Brown does deserve kudos; unlike Klein, Pittsburgh actually went through with their idea and moved him to the offensive line. Edwards is the most likely candidate to replace our choice for backup safety(Thom Darden), based on the Chuck Noll factor. The trade was due to contract issues, but it was one of several done by management to erase the funk of the prior season. Edwards also admits to not really being in control of himself off the field, and having battled cocaine addiction(though I have no proof of this battle ever taking place during his playing years). Even so, if Noll wants Edwards, it's an easy switch to make. So many Quarterbacks, but only four merit mentioning. Roger Staubach could potentially be a better overall passer than Bradshaw, but he was explicitly tied to Tom Landry, who called all the plays and had the Cowboys do a lot of what we'd call "spread" offenses these days(the allegations were Staubach couldn't read defenses normally, but I can't prove that). Given that I went with Joe Theismann as the backup despite the same problem of play-calling, this feels hypocritical. Ken Stabler's southpaw arm was the primary detraction, as I didn't want to force the offensive line to learn how to block for both a righty and a lefty at the same time(this is more complicated than you'd think and not something you want to do for an assembled team on fairly short notice compared to traditional ball clubs). Bob Griese was actually my choice for backup QB last time around, primarily his '77 year when he started wearing actual glasses and rejuvenated his career as a passer... but Theisman could hold for kicks. Fran Tarkenton was the easiest of the 'elites' to dismiss thanks to his lesser arm strength and his poor performances in the Super Bowl, but the scrambling ability he had still warranted consideration. The Runners are self explanatory. OJ Simpson lost to Walter Payton because I considered Walter the more "complete" runner of the two. Larry Csonka was a harder hitter than Franco Harris, but Franco was again the more "complete" runner(had Franco balked at blocking it would be a different choice). There were a lot of workhorse backs, though most were primarily runners- John Riggins, John Brockington, Mark van Eeeghan, etc. Chuck Foreman was a runner and safety valve out of the backfield but an unknown as a blocker. The unqualifieds have two treasures in Earl Campbell and Tony Dorsett who maxed out on single attributes; Campbell for power, Dorsett for speed. Alas, they came into the league too late, and runningbacks in general are the hardest to justify for an exception; they have the easiest talents to replicate. Wideouts. Lots of wideouts. Drew Pearson might still be an applicable choice as a starter, but in the end I went with Warfield and Stallworth alongside Lynn Swann. Same goes for Harold Jackson, one of the most underrated wideouts of his time, but unfortunately, nothing distinct that made me decide one way or another. He could be better than Stallworth, especially since I gave up having these guys do grunt work on Special Teams, but Stallworth has the Bradshaw connection. Speedsters like Cliff Branch, Bob Hayes, Mel Gray, Isaac Curtis, Gene Washington... deep threats that I wasn't sure of when it came to going over the middle. Charlie Joiner would've been useful as a 3rd WR... if Pittsburgh ever bothered to use three wideouts at once. Couldn't beat out Stallworth. Fred Biletnikoff was athletically a step below, but it's the stickum; I largely feel the Aliens will vaporize anyone using stickum(I really hope I didn't put some players like that on this team by acident...). Harold Carmichael is 6'7 and would seem to be an excellent situational player, but there was no room for such a niche and he wasn't better than our chosen options in any other category. Russ Francis leads the discarded Tight Ends by a wide margin. Had all the tools you want, but motivation was an underlying factor. I was more comfortable with Casper at the top spot, and a 2nd-string TE wasn't gonna get the ball enough to satisfy Russ, even though he was a superior blocker to Bob Klein. Guys like Charlie Sanders, Riley Odoms, Marv Fleming, and Raymond Chester were worthwhile because both were reputable blockers, but not as good as Klein(Fleming is a maybe, since he came from the Lombardi school). Rich Caster wasn't all that impressive as a blocker... but he was fast enough to switch over to wide receiver. That made him the only guy who could plausibly play wideout and do grunt work on Special Teams. The offensive line is full of candidates. John Hannah leads the bunch, and if not for the intangibles offered by Sam Davis would've been the key choice at backup- he wasn't going to start thanks to the Shell-Upshaw tandem. Ron Yary played too simplistic a blocking scheme in Minnesota, which emphasized overpowering defenders at the point of attack and probably contributed to those teams getting buried in the trenches in Super Bowls. Guys like Russ Washington, George Kunz, and Leon Gray rounded out the major options at tackle. Larry Little lost out to Joe DeLamielleure simply by the opinion and battle record with Joe Greene, but he was a sweeping bulldozer in his own right. Tom Mack was just an elite all-around talent, but was another victim of the Shell-Upshaw tandem. Doug Wilkerson, Ed White, and Bob Kuechenberg wrapped up the relevent guards. Jim Langer was the main competition for starting Center, but he wasn't beating a Pittsburgh guy to run a Pittsburgh Scheme. As for being a backup, Langer was once a special teams star, but that was early on in his career, and Saul's exploints there were too much to ignore(though, I do have to wonder...). The rest of the field were quick-types, those who could cut linemen and linebackers but struggled with a Nose Tackle right on their faces. Too many linemen to truly count. Better to start with the elite units, since the Steel Curtain was picked en masse. The Purple People Eaters were overall thinner and had a reversed arrangement(Alan Page was the inside rusher at Right Tackle), but their lone true exclusion was Carl Eller, who matched up equally with LC Greenwood. The Doomsday Defense still utilized the old Flex Defense, but could've potentially made bigger stars out of its players with a straight-up style. Too Tall Jones may be the most indefensible exclusion do to his height and the team's scheme. Randy White played aggressively like a pass rusher, but at a position where you needed a "cop". Harvey Martin was a power rusher and on talent might be better than Dwight White, but he did have internal issues and a drug problem. Jack Youngblood needed to play wide in the "40"(four-man) to be effective against the run, but I don't think the Steelers played that game with their linemen. Claude Humphrey and Fred Dean were excellent athletic players that simply lost out to the Steeler connection and weren't going to get enough PT on defense for the backup spot. I probably could've used Merlin Olsen as a backup rather than Larry Brooks, but Brooks had far more upside. Guys like Gary Johnson and Dave Butz could've unseated Jerry Sherk for the backup inside rusher role. Louie Kelcher was a candidate for the "cop" role that Brooks inhabited, but there was just too much weight. Wally Chambers was a flash-in-the-pan who did not dedicate himself beyond his natural talents and once his knees were injured it was all over. Out of the 3-4 personnel, Elvin Bethea, Lyle Alzado, Curley Culp. Those are the only three that mattered- and I almost considered Bethea for the inner rusher role. Ultimately I decided against it. The linebackers were a bit shallow this time around, thanks to the 3-4 creeping into the league(I think only Robert Brazile and Phil Villapiano were capable of multi-dimensional roles as rushbackers, maybe Tom Jackson too). Chris Hanburger was the most intelligent of the remainders at outside linebacker, but we already have Andy Russell in that role. Isiah Robertson was a pure rover-type in play and in attitude. I spent a lot of time trying to find reason to make him the starting Right Linebacker, ultimately feeling he was too shaky to unseat Ted Hendricks and probably too combative to saddle with a backup role. Other outsiders of note were Brad Van Pelt(strangely enough a linebacker who wore #10), Fred Carr, and Stan White(an incredibly prolific interceptor for his position). Willie Lanier, Nick Buoniconti, and Bill Bergey led what was left of the Middle Linebacker spot. Lanier might be the only one of the three to conceivably play in Lambert's position, but Gradishar was simply better in terms of potential and youth. The other two lacked the range needed for a MLB in the Pittsburgh scheme. Ye gods, the cornerbacks. The '78 Rules drained the player pool. The size requirements for the Pittsburgh Scheme poured salt into the pool. Not that there weren't options. Willie Brown(despite his age and decreasing speed), Jimmy Johnson, and Emmitt Thomas were old hands who retired before or just during the rule changes but had the size to thrive in the system. You had some early birds like 6'3 Ken Reaves. You had an actual "Big Bird" in 6'4 Joe Lavender. But the rest? Guys like Roger Wehrli(until Jason Sehorn this was the LAST effective white guy at Cornerback), Lemar Parrish, Ken Riley, Willie Buchanon... too small. For the Unqualifieds, there were guys like Mike Haynes and Lester Hayes, who had the size and the skill and otherwise would've made this team ever stronger. Tandems are strong at Safety. Cliff Harris and Charlie Waters were the main guys in Dallas. Largely, the problem was Tom Landry again calling the shots. That's not good from a communication standpoint. Jake Scott and Richard Anderson were the guys in Miami. Unlike Harris/Waters, I'm certain these guys weren't shackled by their head coach. Ultimately Wagner was needed to be the QB in the secondary and neither guy was unseating Houston. They also weren't unseating Donnie Shell, and Darden was successful in '78 and '79. Paul Krause is the only guy worth talking about in Minnesota, but he was purely a coverage safety. If he tackled, he was the last line of defense. Jack Tatum and George Atkinson were hitters and intimidators, but neither were especially known for their coverage skills. After that you have guys like Johnnie Gray and Tommy Casanova, underrated players for their time but otherwise just short of what was needed. You had some options at Kicker. Jan Stenerud is joined by guys like Garo Yepremian, Hosrt Muhlmann, Toni Fritsch, and Don Cockroft, as well as old hands like Jim Bakken, Fred Cox, and George Blanda. The old guys can't reach fifty yards. Tom Dempsey is screwed by rule changes in '77 that prohibit the kind of shoes he wore during the beginning of the decade, which is a shame because he's the most prolific kicker from beyond fifty yards in this decade. Amongst the remainders is a guy named Efren Herrera who's not especially notable as a kicker, but in his appearance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo13hMzuKTI 1:52 into the clip. That's Herrera kicking off... and he looks like the [BLEEP]in' Chinless Dancer. He has no neck! He has no neck and he's wearing a lineman's shoulder pads! I'm as stunned as the day I actually saw Manute Bol's frame and discovered he was a Space Alien! I had to look at my hands to make sure I wasn't having a toke! (By the way, look up Chinless Dancer on the Memory Hole channel on Youtube.) Punters. Okay. John James, Jerrel Wilson. Everyone else is a giant blob of meh. The Scrimmagers: We're back to the old standard for the rest of this exercise. This time, with the merger of the leagues we now have a whopping 28 Teams to pick from, which offers plenty of options for a "full" scrimmage schedule. We'll do six teams; four will be club-based while two will be pick-ups. Again, the guidelines are turned off, and some of the club-teams will have to rely on guests to fill whatever holes we've made in our selection process. Minnesota Vikings All-Decade Team: Head Coach: Harry "Bud" Grant- 1974 Key Assistant: Jerry Burns- 1974(Offensive Coordinator) Key Assistant: Neill Armstrong- 1974(Defensive Coordinator?) Key Assistant: John Michels- 1974(Offensive Line) Key Assistant: Jack Patera- 1974(Defensive Line) Offense: Pro-Set(Basic) Defense: 4-3(Basic) Offense QB: Fran Tarkenton- 1973 RB: Chuck Foreman- 1974 FB: Dave Osborn- 1974 WR: Ahmad Rashad- 1979 WR: Sammy White- 1976 TE: Stu Voigt- 1975 LT: Steve Riley- 1976 LG: Charles Goodrum- 1976 C: Mick Tingelhoff- 1974(LS) RG: Ed White- 1976 RT: Ron Yary- 1974 DefenseLDE: Carl Eller- 1973 LDT: Gary Larsen- 1973 RDT: Alan Page- 1973 RDE: Jim Marshall- 1973 LLB: Roy Winston- 1973 MLB: Jeff Siemon- 1976 RLB: Wally Hilgenberg- 1973 LCB: Nate Wright- 1976 SS: Jeff Wright- 1976 FS: Paul Krause- 1973(Hld) RCB: Bobby Bryant- 1973(PR) Bench K: Fred Cox- 1975 P: Neil Clabo- 1975 QB: Tommy Kramer- 1979 RB: Rickey Young- 1978 RB: Bill Brown- 1973 RB: Brent McClanahan- 1973(KR) RB: Oscar Reed- 1973 WR: John Gilliam- 1972(KR) WR: Jim Lash- 1974 TE: John Beasley- 1970T: Grady Alderman- 1973 G: Wes Hamilton- 1979 C: Dennis Swilley- 1979 DE: Mark Mullaney- 1979 DT: Doug Sutherland- 1976 DT: James White- 1979 LB: Fred McNeil- 1979 LB: Amos Martin- 1976 LB: Scott Studwell- 1979 CB: Nate Allen- 1976 CB: Charlie West- 1972 S: Terry Brown- 1974 S: Tom Hannon- 1979 This is most likely the weakest of the Club Teams. You would argue that's simply because they lost all their Super Bowls, and while that is a factor, the reasons they lost those Super Bowls are a greater underscore. There are three basic running themes behind the Vikings and their losing record in the big game; They ran a very basic offense and defense, they were soundly creamed in the trenches, and team discipline was a bit too "uptight" in terms of venting stress leading up to the game(this probably isn't true for SB IV, but it was certainly the case for the other three). Offensively, the Vikings ran a more pass-oriented basic look once they got Tarkenton back in '72 but it was still a run-prominent offense. Chuck Foreman elevated it to a new level once Tarkenton began using him as a safety valve, kicking off the trend of running backs putting up catch numbers more in common with wide receivers. Foreman's a good open-field runner(his spin move is something to rave about), so having him as an outlet helped extend Viking drives and prevented defenses from blatantly blanketing the wide-outs, whom were capable in their own right. The key to the passing game was Tarkenton, whose arm was never the best but kept plays alive with his legs. The blocking scheme was straightforward. You would call it "Phone-Booth Brawling", no elaborate traps or cuts(apart from individual success; Ed White had good renown for those skills). Apart from Foreman, the offense was something that belonged in the 60's, which might explain why Bud Grant repeatedly altered the gameplans leading up to those Super Bowls after what happened to his charges in SB IV. Every Super Bowl Team they faced in the 70's had more than a basic set-up in their defenses; Miami had a "53" Subpackage, Pittsburgh had the 4-3 Stunt, Oakland had the 3-4. They also roundly exploited Mick Tingelhoff, who was under 240 pounds and clearly aged, and struggled against any lineman placed on top of him. The Defense got by with the Purple People Eaters on the Defensive Line, but this was a unit that was built on speed and pursuit. During SB IV when this units was in its prime, it probably could handle a rushing attack(but wasn't ready for the elaborate scheming of the Kansas City funhouse), but by the 70's age wore down this part of their game; it was good enough to get them through the NFC three times, but in three Super Bowls they were gashed by the opposing rushing attacks. It didn't help that the linebackers behind them were, for the most part, only serviceable at the NFL level. The loss of Matt Blair hurts here, as he was a physical upgrade to what the Vikings had during the early to mid-70's. The secondary more or less runs a "Cover 3" type of scheme, with a ball-hawking Center Fielder in Paul Krause and the cornerbacks largely running a zone game(guys like Bobby Bryant who were a step slow back in '69 weren't getting any faster in the 70's). In short, the defense worked in a run-first era and hung on longer thanks to the dead-ball era of the decade. The wheels would've come off by '78 had the team not withered into mediocrity by old age first. Special Teams are comparatively mediocre. The return game is hardly prosperous, the punting is reliable. Fred Cox hasn't the range to try for fifty yards or more and his kickoffs are also mediocre, but he's accurate. The real strength lies in their kick blocking. Alan Page and Carl Eller lead this unit, followed by an interesting little edge blocker named Nate Allen. Even so, this is another unit suffering from the loss of Matt Blair. All-Remainder Team B: Head Coach: Chuck Knox- 1977 Key Assistant: Ray Prochaska- 1977(Offensive Coordinator) Key Assistant: Ray Malavasi- 1977(Defensive Coordinator) Key Assistant: Bill Walsh- 1975(QB/WR Coach) Key Assistant: Elijah Pitts- 1977(RB Coach) Key Assistant: Rollie Dotsch- 1979(OL Coach) Key Assistant: Buddy Ryan- 1977(DL Coach) Key Asisstant: Tom Catlin- 1977(LB Coach) Key Assistant: Richard Walker- 1979(DB Coach) Key Assistant: Paul Lanham- 1977(Special Teams) Key Assistant: Alvin Roy- 1975(Strength and Conditioning) Offense: Pro-Set Defense: 4-3 Offense QB: Bert Jones- 1976 RB: OJ Simpson- 1975 FB: Jim Braxton- 1975 WR: Steve Largent- 1979 WR: Issac Curtis- 1975 TE: Riley Odoms- 1978 LT: Stan Walters- 1979 LG: Reggie McKenzie- 1975 C: Mike Montler- 1975 RG: Gale Gillingham- 1971 RT: George Kunz- 1976 Defense LDE: Jack Youngblood- 1978 LDT: Louie Kelcher- 1977 RDT: Gary Johnson- 1979 RDE: Claude Humphrey- 1974(Off-Position) LLB: Brad Van Pelt: 1977 MLB: Bill Bergey- 1975 RLB: Isiah Robertson- 1975 LCB: Pat Thomas- 1978 SS: Gary Fencik- 1979 FS: Johnnie Gray- 1979 RCB: Rod Perry- 1978Bench K: Jan Stenerud- 1975 P: Dave Jennings- 1979 QB: Ken Anderson- 1975 RB: Rocky Bleier- 1974 RB: Hank Bauer- 1978 RB: Mosi Tatupu- 1979 WR: Billy "White Shoes" Johnson- 1977(KR/PR) WR: Leonard Thompson- 1979 TE: Paul Seymour- 1975 T: Doug Dieken- 1973 G: Walt Sweeney- 1971 C: Blair Bush- 1978(LS) DE: Ron McDole- 1972 DE: Bubba Smith- 1971 DT: Art Thoms- 1973 DT: Bob Rowe- 1974 LB: Chris Hanburger- 1972 LB: Fred Carr- 1976 LB: Jim Youngblood- 1973 CB: Alvin Haymond- 1971(KR) CB: Ted Vactor- 1972 S: Nolan Cromwell- 1979(Hld)S: Ivory Sully- 1979 Second on the list because the depth looks real thin. There's a reason for that. A trend I want to develop over these remaining decades is having one scrimmage team dedicated to Special Teams, essentially filling the bench with players that typically work on the Suicide Squads. The best remaining, after we cherry pick that pool, and after the club teams we assemble have their say. Kick Blockers, Gunners, Return Blockers, Holders, Snappers... these are the often unsung guys. If you know of any of them, they're probably on your team. So we'll sacrifice one of our scrimmage teams for this practice, while giving them a respectable starting 'shell' so they don't stink up the join on offense or defense. The Offense is basically one run by the Los Angeles Rams during this decade. They too featured a workhorse back, but we're upgrading the spot with OJ Simpson, and giving him the best blocking helpers from his team that we could. We also made sure the passing game is significantly better, though there are no natural connections in the starting lineup(Save Ken Anderson to Issac Curtis, but Ken has to be given the starting job over Bert Jones first). It's an all-around strong unit, but established chemistry is low. Whether they mesh will be entirely up to them. The Defense is also from the Rams, sporting the talents of Jack Youngblood and Isiah Robertson, not to mention the cornerback tandem of Pat Thomas and Rod Perry. The secondary is key; for all scratch teams in this decade, the secondary is built for the '78 PI Rules, every DB will have at least one year of experience under these rules(the exception being the backups on this team, for obvious reasons). The rest of the defense is a wide 4-3 with some upgraded talent. The only bench player without a significant role on Special Teams is Ken Anderson. Everyone else has been on Special Teams at some point in their careers. The one probably furthest removed from such duties is Chris Hanburger, but his intelligence and the like should be enough for him to get by in his new role. Outside of the trench players, everyone is involved in multiple units, though there is no apparent backup at Fullback. Billy Johnson headlines this unit as an electric returner. Miami Dolphins All-Decade Team(2 Guests): Head Coach: Don Shula- 1972 Key Assistant: Howard Schnellenberger- 1972(Offensive Coordinator/WR Coach) Key Assistant: Bill Arnsparger- 1972(Defensive Coordinator/LB Coach) Key Assistant: Carl Taseff- 1979(Offensive Backfield/Special Teams Coach) Key Assistant: Monte Clark- 1972(OL Coach) Key Assistant: Mike Scarry- 1972(DL Coach) Key Assistant: Tom Keane- 1979(DB/P Coach) Offense: Pro-Set(Basic) Defense: 4-3("53" Sub-Package: Basically a 3-4) Offense QB: Bob Griese- 1972 RB: Eugene "Mercury" Morris- 1972(KR) FB: Larry Csonka- 1972 WR: Harold Jackson- 1973(Guest) WR: Nat Moore- 1979 TE: Marv Fleming- 1972 LT: Wayne Moore- 1975 LG: Bob Kuechenberg- 1975(LS?) C: Jim Langer- 1975 RG: Larry Little- 1972 RT: Norm Evans- 1972 Defense LDE: Vern Den Herder- 1972 LDT: Manny Fernandez- 1972 RDT: Bob Heinz- 1972 RDE: Bill Stanfill- 1972 LLB: Doug Swift- 1972 MLB: Nick Buoniconti- 1972 RLB: Mike Kolen- 1972 LCB: Tim Foley- 1973 SS: Richard Anderson- 1973 FS: Jake Scott- 1973(PR) RCB: Roger Wehrli- 1978(Hld)(Guest) BenchK: Garo Yepremian- 1972 P: Larry Seiple- 1973 QB: Don Strock- 1978 RB: Jim Kiick- 1972 RB: Tony Nathan- 1979(KR) RB: Norm Bulaich- 1976 RB: Hubert Ginn- 1972 WR: Duriel Harris- 1979 WR: Howard Twilley- 1972 TE: Jim Mandich- 1974 T: Mike Current- 1979 G: Ed Newman- 1979 C: Bob DeMarco- 1971 DE: John Andrews-1976 DT: Randy Crowder- 1975 DT: Don Reese- 1975 LB: Bob Matheson- 1972 LB: Larry Ball- 1973 LB: Jesse Powell- 1972 CB: Lloyd Mumphord- 1972 CB: Gerald Small- 1979 S: Charlie Babb- 1975 S: Vern Roberson- 1977 The '72 Dolphins feel like they are the greatest team ever, and we only included two players on this squad. All they have is their undefeated season, which is fine. Good for them. But they soon lost in week 2 of the '73 season and faced harder competition(and they seem to feel their '73 team was superior to '72). Then you have to factor in the rules changes that occured in the latter half of the decade and the progress other teams made while they faded from the scene(due largely to Csonka, Warfield, and Kiick jumping ship for the WFL). Do the '72 Dolphins match up well with someone like the '76 Steelers(the team that DIDN'T win a Super Bowl)? Does the vaunted rushing attack of Miami knife through the Steel Curtain? Could the No-Name Defense handle the more pass-oriented Pittsburgh teams of '78 and '79? At any rate, the Dolphins are based on the '72 and '73 models, which were largely Ground Control offenses. Csonka was the hammer that punished defenders, Morris was the swift dagger, and Kiick was the utility wrench. That's a good three-man backfield tandem, and Bob Griese was every bit the game-manager that Starr and Dawson were in their prime. The crucial hole is the loss of Paul Warfield, who provided the downfield terror that kept defenses honest. Hence the inclusion of a guest; Harold Jackson, one of the more underrated receivers of his time(he missed SB XIV by two years, having been traded to New England in '78). He can replicate the vertical stretching and a fair enough of the inside stuff, though blocking remains a question mark. Fingers crossed. Don Strock is the more useful option at backup Quarterback, despite Earl Morrall's heroics in '72. As for Defense, the Dolphins typically ran a 4-3 but they could shift to a 3-4 by pulling out a defensive tackle and inserting Bob Matheson as the 4th linebacker. They called this the "53" Defense because of Matheson(his number), due to the versatility he offered as a pass rusher and pass coverage guy. Teams did this in the AFL, teams did this in the 70's(like the Steelers on occasion), but I would say Miami in this period did this more than most teams, eventually switching to the 3-4 full-time in '77. Their line is less reputable, Fernandez, Den Herder, and Stanfill peaked in '72, but they're bolstered by Nick Buoniconti at Middle Linebacker. The secondary is Solid, and I think they play less of a zone game than Shula's prior outfit in Baltimore. Scott and Anderson are quality safeties, but apart from the guest Roger Wehrli, this is a unit that is nowhere near the PI rule changes, not even the preceding ones. They serve more as a test on the gorund than anything else. Special Teams don't amount to too much. Yepremian's leg is good and they have a serviceable punter. They got a good edge blocker in Lloyd Mumphord but the return game is again negligible and even has a question mark at Long Snapper(I don't know if Kuechenberg snapped for kicks in '75, but I know he did in '78). Oakland Raiders All-Decade Team(4 Guests): Head Coach: John Madden- 1976 Key Assistant: Lew Erber- 1976(Offensive Backfield) Key Assistant: Tom Flores- 1976(WR Coach) Key Assistant: Bob Mischak- 1976(TE Coach) Key Assistant: Oliver Spencer- 1976(OL Coach) Key Assistant: Tom Dahms- 1976(DL Coach) Key Assistant: Don Shinnick- 1976(LB Coach) Key Assistant: Bob Zeman- 1976(DB Coach) Key Assistant: Joe Scannella- 1976(Special Teams) Offense: Pro-Set Defense: 3-4 Offense QB: Ken Stabler- 1976 RB: Clarence Davis- 1976 FB: Mark van Eeghan- 1976 WR: Cliff Branch- 1976 WR: Fred Biletnikoff- 1976 TE: Russ Francis- 1978(Guest) LT: Leon Gray- 1978(Guest) LG: John Hannah- 1978(Guest) C: Dave Dalby- 1976(LS) RG: George Buehler- 1976 RT: John Vella- 1976 Defense LDE: John Matuszak- 1976 NT: Dave Rowe- 1976 RDE: Otis Sistrunk- 1976 LOLB: Phil Villapiano- 1976 LILB: Willie Hall- 1976 RILB: Monte Johnson- 1976 ROLB: Rod Martin- 1979 LCB: Lester Hayes- 1979 SS: George Atkinson- 1976 FS: Jack Tatum- 1976RCB: Willie Brown- 1976 Bench K: Errol Mann- 1976 P: John James- 1976(Guest) QB: Mike Rae- 1976 QB: David Humm- 1976(Hld) RB: Marv Hubbard- 1972 RB: Pete Banaszak- 1972 RB: Ira Matthews- 1979(KR) RB: Harold Hart- 1975(KR) WR: Mike Siani- 1973 WR: Morris Bradshaw- 1978 TE: Raymond Chester- 1979 T: Henry Lawrence- 1979 G: Steve Sylvester- 1979 C: Jim Otto- 1970 DE: Charles Philyaw- 1976 DT: Reggie Kinlaw- 1979 LB: Jeff Barnes- 1979 LB: Floyd Rice- 1977 LB: Randy McClanahan- 1977 CB: Alonzo "Skip" Thomas- 1976 CB: Neal Colzie- 1976(PR)S: Mike Davis- 1979 S: Charlie Phillips- 1978 This has the potential for some real bad blood, given that 18 players from our squad comes from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and this is the one club that created more conflict and incidents than anyone else. This is also the team we gouged the most, so it's not a complete tema by any means. But it is a team closer to the PI Rules of '78, and significantly tough in ways that aren't shown on the stat sheets. The offense is rather effective. When the "Snake" is at his best, the vertical attack clicks with guys like Cliff Branch and Fred Biletnikoff(we'll forgive the stickum for this game). Dave Casper's gone, but Russ Francis is a great temporary substitue with an outside chance of realizing his full potential due to the offense utilizing tight ends and the Raiders 'do your job and the rest don't matter' approach. The run game is loaded with effective players, though only Clarence Davis qualifies as an outside runner. The blocking scheme desperately misses Art Shell and Gene Upshaw, so how about we fill in that hole with the left tandem of a New England line that led the league in rushing in '78? John Hannah's elite, but he really liked Leon Gray and hated to see him be traded away(a thing that happened a lot with 'pretenders' who wouldn't pony up the cash to keep their core intact). In short, this team has just as much fight in the trenches as Miami, but will happilly light up the air in contrast. The 3-4 Defense is really missing a priceless part in Ted Hendricks. Given that there's nobody out there that compares to him, it's better to replace from within with Rod Martin(who in '80 will make three interceptions in SB XV). The defense mostly focuses on the '76 group with two additions; Martin, and Lester Hayes at cornerback. The safeties rule by intimidation rather than ballhawking, especially Jack Tatum, who was given the "Assassin" moniker. Most have seen the helmet-dislodging blow he put on Sammy White in SB XI, and they know he was part of the infamous "Immaculate Reception", but he also paralyzed a young wideout named Darryl Stingley in a preseason match. He wasn't bloodthirsty, he was just fast and aggressive and hit like a missile. John James replaces Ray Guy at punter, which is admittedly a small downgrade. But hey, it's Ray Guy. It's automatically a downgrade not to have him. Losing Ted Hendricks on top of that turns the Special Teams Unit into a rather ho-hum section of the team. Jeff Barnes at least replaces Warren Bankston, but that's a small consolation prize. Dallas Cowboys All-Decade Team(1 Guest): Head Coach: Tom Landry- 1977 Key Assistant: Jim Myers- 1977(Assistant Head Coach/OL Coach) Key Assistant: Dan Reeves- 1977(Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Backfield) Key Assistant: Ernie Stautner- 1977(Defensive Coordinator/DL Coach) Key Assistant: Mike Ditka- 1977(WR Coach/Special Teams) Key Assistant: Jerry Tubbs- 1977(LB Coach) Key Assistant: Gene Stallings- 1977(DB Coach) Key Assistant: Bob Ward- 1977(Strength & Conditioning) Offense: Pro-Set(Some Spread Variations) Defense: 4-3 Flex Offense QB: Roger Staubach- 1977 RB: Tony Dorsett- 1977 FB: Robert Newhouse- 1977 WR: Drew Pearson- 1977 WR: Tony Hill- 1979 TE: Billy Joe Dupree- 1977 LT: Ralph Neely- 1977 LG: Herbert Scott- 1977 C: John Fitzgerald- 1977 RG: Tom Rafferty- 1977 RT: Mike Kenn- 1979(Guest) Defense LDE: Ed "Too Tall" Jones- 1977 LDT: Jethro Pugh- 1977 RDT: Randy White- 1977 RDE: Harvey Martin- 1977 LLB: Thomas Henderson- 1977 MLB: Bob Breunig- 1977 RLB: Dwight "D.D." Lewis- 1977(LS) LCB: Benny Barnes- 1979 SS: Charlie Waters- 1977(Hld) FS: Cliff Harris- 1977 RCB: Aaron Lyle- 1978 BenchK: Efren Herrera- 1977 P/QB: Danny White- 1979 RB: Preston Pearson- 1975(KR) RB: Walt Garrison- 1971 RB: Scott Laidlaw- 1977 WR: John "Golden" Richards- 1977 WR: Michael "Butch" Johnson- 1977(KR/PR) TE: Jean Fugett- 1977 TE: Jay Saldi- 1977 T: Pat Donovan- 1977 G: Blaine Nye- 1975 C: Dave Manders- 1971 DE: Larry Cole- 1974 DE: Pat Toomay- 1974 DT: Bob Lily- 1971 DT: Bill Gregory- 1977 LB: Guy Brown- 1979 LB: Bruce Huther- 1979 LB: Mike Hegman- 1979 CB: Mel Renfro- 1971 CB: Mark Washington- 1975 S: Cornell Green- 1971S: Randy Hughes- 1979 This is by far the strongest Club Team. It's so strong that it's a wonder why more than one player wasn't chosen from this group. The Cowboys run a 'Multiple Offense', giving all sorts of looks over the course of the game. Sometimes it's Pro-Set, sometimes it's the I formation, sometimes its more wideouts or two tight ends or other things of that nature. It's not uncommon for Dallas to line up in formations that would be called "Spread" in todays language. Staubach's arm and ability to scramble make the passing game go and he has numerous targets to rely upon, but the inclusion of Tony Dorsett gave this team a home run hitter on the ground that it sorely lacked since Calvin Hill went into decline and left. Actually, Dorsett is more like a nuclear bomb thanks to his unreal speed, and the kicker is he seems to be better at inside running than outside. The loss of Rayfield Wright hurts the offensive line, but this was a problem the Cowboys faced in '77, during their Super Bowl victory over Denver. Mike Kenn is rather young but still has a lot of potential and makes for the best possible guest given what they would want him to do. The Landry Flex Defense hasn't changed much since we saw it in the 60's. It's a disciplined formation which dilutes the pass rushing numbers but exercises control over an opposing run game. Guys like Jones, White, and Martin dominate offensive lines, allowing the linebackers to handle their lanes. The secondary is solid enough, though it can be beaten in the air provided you have a good enough passer and great targets. Not much to say about Special Teams. Danny White doubles as the backup QB and there are several starters holding down vital roles on the Suicide Squads. They are serviceable and athletic, probably the strongest of all the club teams... though that probably doesn't mean much. All-Decade Remainder Team A: Head Coach: Don Coryell- 1979 Key Assistant: Joe Gibbs- 1979(Offensive Coordinator) Key Assistant: Joe Collier- 1979(Defensive Coordinator) Key Assistant: Sid Gillman- 1979(QB Coach) Key Assistant: Andy Bourgeois- 1979(RB Coach) Key Assistant: Ernie Zampese- 1979(WR Coach) Key Assistant: Jim Hanifan- 1979(Assistant Head Coach/OL Coach) Key Assistant: Stan Jones- 1977(DL Coach) Key Assistant: Myrel Moore- 1979(LB Coach) Key Assistant: Richie McCabe- 1979(DB Coach) Key Assistant: Steve Ortmayer- 1979(Special Teams) Key Assistant: Clyde Evans- 1979(Strength & Conditioning) Offense: Air Coryell Defense: 3-4 Offense QB: Dan Fouts- 1979 RB: Earl Campbell- 1978 FB: Tim Wilson- 1978 WR: Charlie Joiner- 1976 WR: John Jefferson- 1979 TE: Ozzie Newsome- 1979 LT: Doug France- 1977 LG: Tom Mack- 1973 C: Bob Johnson- 1975 RG: Conrad Dobler- 1975 RT: Dan Dierdorf- 1975 Defense LDE: Lyle Alzado- 1977(Off-Position) NT: Curley Culp- 1975 RDE: Lee Roy Selmon- 1979 LOLB: Tom Jackson- 1977(Off-Position) LILB: Dewey Selmon- 1979 RILB: Harry Carson- 1979 ROLB: Robert Brazile- 1977 LCB: Gary Green- 1979 SS: Bill Thompson- 1978 FS: Gary Barbaro- 1979RCB: Mike Haynes- 1978 Bench K: Horst Muhlmann- 1975 P: Jerrell Wilson- 1976 QB: Dan Pastorini- 1978(Hld) RB: Mack Herron- 1974(KR/PR) RB: Tony Galbreath- 1979 RB: Ed Podolak- 1977 WR: Stanley Morgan- 1979 WR: Steve Odom- 1978(KR) TE: Jim Mitchell- 1975 T: Russ Washington- 1978 G: Doug Wilkerson- 1979 C: Ray Mansfield- 1974(LS) DE: Elvin Bethea- 1975 DE: Julius Adams- 1976 NT: Rubin Carter- 1977 LB: Bob Swenson- 1979 LB: Larry Gordon- 1979 LB: Richard Wood- 1979 LB: Jim Haslett- 1979 CB: Raymond Clayborn- 1979 CB: Herm Edwards- 1978S: Mike Reinfeldt- 1979 S: Mark Cotney- 1979 The final Tune-Up could on paper be the best opponent this team will face. On paper. You know how it is with scratch teams. The offense is Air Coryell, but it's not quite complete. It's lacking Kellen Winslow, who failed to qualify in his lone year. Ozzie Newsome is close to what Winslow provides, but not the compelte package. This is also more of a Frankenstein-like concoction on offense because the passing attributes of the Air Coryell were forcibly married to Earl Campbell himself. Campbell's an excellent runner and should be 200% the production that Chuck Muncie gave the Chargers in the 80's, but as a receiver he leaves a lot to be desired. More importantly, he comes with his own lead blocker in Tim Wilson, who is merely serviceable in the air. The good news is if we need pass catchers out of the backfield, we have guys like 5'5 Mack Herron, Tony Galbreath, and Ed Podolak whom we can sub in. Fouts has his two main receivers in Charlie Joiner and John Jefferson, so connections are not a problem. The line is paired up well, with Doug France and Tom Mack on the left, Conrad Dobler and Dan Dierdorf on the right. The defense is an amalgamation of all the 3-4 defenses of the decade, but the overall scheme comes from Denver. It's not the best 3-4 team possible; Ted Hendricks, Randy Gradishar, and maybe Bill Bergey would've made the unit unstoppable. The main Denver players, Lyle Alzado and Tom Jackson, had to be moved over to the left side, but apart from that it's a stable looking team. The weakness may be in interior pass coverage, as nobody can replicate what Gradishar brought to the coverage scheme. Special Teams are kind of an afterthought beyond the kickers and returners. Lots of starters having to re-learn the Suicide Squads on the fly. Final Tidbits: Welcome to the era of Astroturf. The story is this; Professional Sports finally came to Houston in the 1960's. The Oilers of the AFL came first, but in '62 the Colt .45s entered the realm of Major League Baseball. You'll come to know them as the Astros. Autumn in Texas isn't bad at all... but summer in Texas is a scorcher. The Astrodome was built in the mid 60's as a solution for that problem(something the Texas Rangers never came up with when they arrived in the early 70's, dumb Tri-City Slickers), and originally came with a genuine grass field. Now wait, how could you cultivate a grass stadium in a domed enclosure? The solution was semi-transparent panes of lucite in the ceiling. Nice, but the players soon complaned of the glare from those panes; a problem when you're looking upward to track fly balls. So the panes got painted over. Then the grass died. Now the players were playing on painted dirt and dead grass for the rest of that inaugural season in the dome. Next season in '66, an artifical solution just invented in the prior year was utilized. It was called ChemGrass then. It wouldn't become known as AstroTurf until the success of this field in the Astrodome became known. From a business standpoint, artificial turf is significantly easier to maintain than pure grass, so it made sense that in the 70's numerous NFL franchises would change their playing surfaces to Astroturf, or even better, create Domes on par with the Astrodome to provide stable 'climate' year-round. The Superdome in New Orleans, the Silverdome in Pontiac(Detroit), the Metrodome in Minneapolis, the Kingdome in Seattle. Even Texas Stadium in Dallas qualified despite having a big honking hole in the center(one time in the 90's it freaking snowed there). More would follow in later decades, but by the 90's, the outdoor venues were starting to return to actual grass. The reason is because Astroturf tends to damage a player's body on a higher level compared to grass, not to mention the freak injuries that sometimes occured when dealing with glorified carpet that was bolted down to the surface. So, up front, we will never play on Astrotuf. This creates a small problem because our team is heavily based on the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the Steelers used Astroturf through the seventies. With that in mind, the team will have to play elsewhere. New York was once the place to play for notoriety, but not anymore. We're not playing on baseball fields so Yankee and Shea are out of the question... and the Giants and Jets moved to Giants Stadium out in New Jersey, which has Astroturf. Chicago's out, as Soldier Field switched to Astroturf in '71 and Wrigley's a baseball park. That leaves Los Angeles. Stadium Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles Training Camp: Fullerton State(Fullerton, California) This solves all of our problems in one go. Natural Grass, good weather, sufficient stadium for major crowds(LA Residents might only show up in droves if the fate of the world were at stake). Another ground rule we're going to establish here and now is we will NOT be touring this team across the country during the tune-up schedule. You may thing it's a rockin' idea to visit the best stadiums in the country and give nearly every region a chance to see the action, but we want our team familiar with one set location, without any of the hassles involved in traveling. This is meant to simulate an extended homestead of sorts so that when the Aliens arrive, the place might as well be a genuine Home Field advantage. Television's another matter, as the practice of Sports Broadcasting has exploded across three channels, CBS, NBC, and newcomer ABC(ESPN would officially come to existence in '79 or so, but it's too early for them). CBS and NBC typically would call the games on Sunday(as well as the occasional Staurday and Thanksgiving game), but ABC got the opportunity to call the lone Monday Night game every week. You youngsters who wonder about ESPN's Monday Night Football, well it started out on ABC and it was the place to be on those nights if you were Ready For Some Football(was that bigoted-by-proxy?). This matters because we're going to further elaborate on the broadcasting schedule. We'll have a broadcast team set up for each and every tune-up as well as the big game, and we'll go out of our way to make sure every network is represented in the process. Just a quick note; the opposing teams aren't listed but the order is the same as what I listed in the scrimmagers section. Game 1: Television Broadcast: CBS Play-by-Play Commentator: Vin Scully Color Commentator: George Allen Sideline Reporters: Sam Huff, Frank Glieber Seems a little rediculous to bother with Sideline Reporters during the tune-ups, but what the heck. None of these names are speculative; either they were active Broadcast Commentators for their respective networks, or(in the case of the Sideline Reporters) they actively filled their job during a Super Bowl, Conference Championship, or Pro Bowl(before ABC purchased the broadcast rights). Game 2: Television Broadcast: NBC Play-by-Play Commentator: Richard Enberg Color Commentator: Merlin Olsen Sideline Reporters: Charlie Jones, Bill Enis It's worth noting that these first two games are run by teams probably considered second overall during the course of the decade; you have so many games to broadcast in a given week, so priorities must be set according to the importance of the matchup; the best commentators work on the best games and so forth. Granted, the tandem of Enberg and Olsen only worked during the last two years of this decade, but they very quickly took the top reigns from the incumbents. Game 3: Television Broadcast: ABC Play-by-Play Commentator: Frank Gifford Color Commentators: Howard Cosell, Don Meredith Sideline Reporters: None ABC didn't bother with Sideline Reporters and the like until the 90's. It was also a stable group, with only "Dandy Don" Meredith having worthy competition in Alex Karras. Game 4: Television Broadcast: CBS Play-by-Play Commentator: Pat Summerall Color Commentator: Tom Brookshier Sideline Reporters: Paul Hornung, Nick Buoniconti The key pairing at CBS this decade after Ray Scott retired. Hornung and Buoniconti were sideline reporters during SB XII, during the dead period when reporters weren't used. Game 5: Television Broadcast: NBC Play-by-Play Commentator: Curt Gowdy Color Commentator: Al DeRogatis Sideline Reporters: Bryant Gumbel, Mike Adamle Some would argue that this was truly the greatest pairing through the decade. Gumbel and Adamle were actually used in tandem during the last two AFC Championships of this decade. Game 6: Television Broadcast: CBS/NBC Play-by-Play Commentator: Curt Gowdy(NBC) Color Commentator: Tom Brookshier(CBS) Sideline Reporters: Mike Adamle(NBC), Nick Buoniconti(CBS) Thanks to ABC being involved, we have an odd number of remaining games to split between CBS and NBC. The solution is to have a dry-run for a 'Combined' Broadcast on this second-to-last game. The reason we have these guys here is because we're saving the rest for the last game. Final Game: Television Broadcast: CBS/NBC/ABC Play-by-Play Commentator: Frank Gifford(ABC) Color Commentators: Pat Summerall(CBS), Merlin Olsen(NBC) Sideline Reporters: Bryant Gumbel(NBC), Paul Hornung(CBS) Pre-Game Host: Brent Musburger(CBS) Pre-Game Analysts: Joe Namath(NBC), Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder(CBS), Phyllis George(CBS), George Allen(CBS), John Brodie(NBC) You need a clear pecking order. Gifford gets the Play-by-Play job practically by default. Summerall's experience as the color guy to Ray Scott is useful here. Olsen's football experience already made him a top-notch broadcaster at NBC, so having him as the 'football' Commentator is a bonus(and more importantly, represents all three networks in the booth). The Pre-Game show is a bit of a mess. Brent Musburgur is as good as it gets for Host(apologies to Curt Gowdy). The panel is relatively diverse; two football players in Namath(part of the NBC Pre-Game shows for SB V and VII) and Brodie(a key Commentator on the NBC team). George Allen offers a Coaches perspective(can't use John Madden since he's coaching the Raiders before his time). "The Greek" is a Las Vegas bookmarker who was used in CBS shows to predict the score(he didn't actively discuss point spreads or other bets while doing these segments). Phyllis George is a wild card of sorts, a female presence that was reasonable enough in the discussion, but is admittedly a bone thrown to Network Executives who might want an 'outside' presense on the Pre-Game. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mse326 Posted November 8, 2019 Share Posted November 8, 2019 First time I have a firm disagreement. Page has to be on the team. He may have been primarily pass rush but he wasn't a bad a run defender and having him next to Greene is unstoppable. I mean Larsen was seen as the run defending DT but the year after he left they were number 1 against the rush (1975). I completely understand what you are trying to do with fit and scheme, but there is a point where talent beats that. That is the case here. And if any two coaches know how to get the best out of a defense it is Noll and Carson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zycho32 Posted November 10, 2019 Author Share Posted November 10, 2019 On 11/7/2019 at 8:38 PM, mse326 said: First time I have a firm disagreement. Page has to be on the team. He may have been primarily pass rush but he wasn't a bad a run defender and having him next to Greene is unstoppable. I mean Larsen was seen as the run defending DT but the year after he left they were number 1 against the rush (1975). I completely understand what you are trying to do with fit and scheme, but there is a point where talent beats that. That is the case here. And if any two coaches know how to get the best out of a defense it is Noll and Carson I do have to admit, a Greene/Page inside combination on passing downs would be positively unstoppable. I also admit it's plausible that Page could conceivably adapt to a new role on the line. I don't however believe that the line responsibilities would be 'altered' with Page's presence. It wasn't just the Steel Curtain; any good-to-elite DL Unit apart from Dallas(who used the Flex) had that "Cop" type who would watch for the runners taking advantage of the rushers. As you say, Gary Larsen fit that role in Minnesota, as did Doug Sutherland afterwards. Again, it's still conceivable that Page would adapt(though he's more speed than strength), but ultimately the Team Play of the Steel Curtain won out. Finding a backup role for Page to play with was also out of the question, as Pittsburgh used 'fourth linebackers' or Nickel Backs on those obvious passing downs, limiting the number of times you could sub in Page for pass rushing situations, and this still wasn't an era where the DL was rotated to conserve energy. That positively stank, as Page would've been greatly valued as a kick blocker on Special Teams(Am I greatly over-exaggerating the issue of PT under these circumstances? Probably. But from a chemistry standpoint I'd want someone who can handle a lesser role than someone I'm unsure about.) All of that said, finally some feedback and constructive criticism. I'm finally at that point! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zycho32 Posted January 6, 2020 Author Share Posted January 6, 2020 SUHPRISE, MUTHA[BLEEEEEEP]!!! The 1980's All-Decade Team: I'd like to think this is the first All-Decade Team that's going to generate a good amount of constructive criticism, since we're approaching the outer limits of most fan's understanding of the sport. Got a small taste of it with the 70's team, maybe there will be more here... y'know, if my constant delays haven't run everyone off. I could've just waited until all the decades were done and posted them that way... but I'd have given up midway through and moved on elsewhere. Story of my life. Anyway, the only real complication of note during this decade is an abnormally large amount of unqualifieds from the latter years. A lot of good players who would've been considered got their starts in the NFL in 1986, which puts them one year short of qualifying- and none of them truly offered anything unique enough to be given an exception. The reason for the abnormal amount comes from what was initially not supposed to be a competing league. The United States Football League had its first season in 1983 and would last until 1985. Competing against the NFL in the 80's was likely akin to suicide; as the WFL in the 70's demonstrated, the league was too big and had too much of a chokehold on Television exposure to take on up front. The league bypassed that contention with a novel approach; they wouldn't play in the autumn, but in the spring. The wager was that there wasn't a saturation point for football and that fanatics would thirst for it on the opposite side of the calendar. Combine that with a deal with ESPN and the league had the means to avoid being swallowed up by the NFL. And for two years, it worked. It worked so well that some teams were actually luring in blue-chip talent from the Colleges, like the AFL and AAFC before them. Guys like Herschel Walker, Reggie White, Steve Young, Jim Kelly... they went to the USFL instead of the NFL and dominated opposing teams. Had it continued, there's no reason not to think that the USFL would still be in existence today, or that a team like the New Jersey Generals(then owned by who is now President of the United States, heheh...) might actually defeat NFL Clubs if ever put head-to-head against them. ...alas. In '85 elements of the league won majority and decided to switch to a fall season, and prepared for it by filing an antitrust suit against the NFL. The league was reduced to locations that largely did not have NFL Franchises despite still playing in the spring. They won the suit... but they only received one measly dollar as a reward. The league never came back in '86, spring or fall. The USFL therefore became just another footnote on the follies of taking on the Big Boys, but the spring football concept would be revived in later incarnations, most notably with the Alliance of American Football(AAF, or just the Alliance), a league that looked red-hot until it suddenly folded mid-season due to cash concerns. The players from that league, the ones good enough anyways, would make their way onto NFL rosters and that would be that for the complications. No franchises folding or joining(though two teams did move), no major rule changes uprooting the development of the game... just a peaceful flowing lake from which the game flourished. Let's begin. Team Roster- The Cliff's Notes Version: Head Coach: Bill Walsh- 1988 Key Assistant: Bill Belichick- 1989(Defensive Coordinator) Key Assistant: Paul Hackett- 1984(QB/WR Coach) Key Assistant: Sherman Lewis- 1988(RB Coach) Key Assistant: Bobb McKittrick- 1988(OL Coach) Key Assistant: Fred Von Appen- 1984(Assistant OL Coach/TE Coach) Key Assistant: Lamar Leachman- 1989(DL Coach) Key Assistant: Len Fontes- 1986(DB Coach) Key Assistant: Romeo Crennel- 1989(Special Teams) Key Assistant: Mike Sweatman- 1989(Defensive Assistant/Assistant Special Teams) Key Assistant: Jerry Attaway- 1988(Physical Development) Key Assistant: Neal Dahlen- 1988(Research and Development) Offensive Style: West Coast Offense Defensive Style: 3-4 Starting Quarterback: Joe Montana- 1988 Starting Running Back: Walter Payton- 1985 Starting Fullback: Roger Craig- 1984 Starting Wide Receiver: Jerry Rice- 1988 Starting Wide Receiver: James Lofton- 1982 Starting Tight End: Kellen Winslow Sr.- 1981 Starting Left Tackle: Anthony Munoz- 1985 Starting Left Guard: John Hannah- 1980 Starting Center: Dwight Stephenson- 1986 Starting Right Guard: Bruce Matthews- 1989(LS-K) Starting Right Tackle: Jackie Slater- 1983 Starting Left Defensive End: Reggie White- 1988 Starting Nose Tackle: Michael Carter- 1988 Starting Right Defensive End: Bruce Smith- 1989 Starting Left Outside Linebacker: Andre Tippett- 1985 Starting Left Inside Linebacker: Mike Singletary- 1985(Off-Position) Starting Right Inside Linebacker: Harry Carson- 1986 Starting Right Outside Linebacker: Lawrence Taylor- 1986 Starting Left Cornerback: Lester Hayes- 1983 Starting Strong Safety: Kenny Easley- 1984 Starting Free Safety: Ronnie Lott- 1989 Starting Right Cornerback: Mike Haynes- 1984 Placekicker: Nick Lowery- 1988 Punter: Reggie Roby- 1987Backup Quarterback: Steve Young- 1989(Backup QB Exception) Backup Running Back: William Andrews- 1983 Backup Running Back: Mosi Tatupu- 1985 Backup Wide Receiver: Steve Largent- 1984 Backup Wide Receiver: Willie Gault- 1985(KR) Backup Tight End: Hoby Brenner- 1985 Backup Tight End: Ed West- 1989 Backup Tackle: Mike Kenn- 1980 Backup Guard: Mike Munchak- 1989 Backup Center: Randy Cross- 1988 Backup Defensive End: Howie Long- 1985 Backup Defensive End: Dan Hampton- 1985 Backup Nose Tackle: Joe Nash- 1989 Backup Linebacker: Wilber Marshall- 1985 Backup Linebacker: Carl Banks- 1986 Backup Linebacker: Fredd Young- 1985 Backup Linebacker: Steve DeOssie- 1988(LS-P) Backup Cornerback: Albert Lewis- 1986 Backup Cornerback/Safety: Mike Nelms- 1981(KR/PR) Backup Safety: Nolan Cromwell- 1980(Hld) Backup Safety: Ivory Sully- 1983 The Rules: Unlike the last decade, which saw a colossal upheaval of the game from the Pass Interference Rules implemented in '78, what followed in the 80's was really just numerous small changes, a lot of which changed the amount of yardage awarded for a penalty or determined the status of the down(whether it was lost or not). Virtually none of it altered any philosophies. Some rules eased the circumstances in which defenses might be charged with PI though. In '83 'Incidental Contact' was ruled not applicable for PI. 'Incidental Contact' usually means the honest contact a receiver and a defender will make if both make a play for the ball. In '85 this was further enforced with defenders having an "equal right to the ball" permitting such contact if the defender was looking back to intercept the pass, though not contact that actually stifled the receivers ability to catch the ball himself. In addition, a clearly uncatchable ball was also unapplicable for PI. Finally, in '87, contact beyond five yards by a defender would not be called if the offensive team was in an obvious punt formation(this would not apply to a Quarterback making a surprise punt however, as he would not be doing so in an obvious punt formation). Blocking, and overall contact, got a few makeovers too. Striking the head, face, or neck(or swinging or clubbing) was rendered illegal in '80. Offensive players on passing plays cannot chop block(blocking a defender below the thigh while said defender is already engaged with another blocker) starting in '87. Also in '87, blocking below the waist was almost universally prohibited. The lone exception was the kicking team on kicks, and only before the kick was actually made. I should also point out a legal recognition that took place in '89 but wasn't exactly a rule change. The Hurry Up offense was ruled fully legal, but you know it better as the No Huddle. It is exactly what it is, a team running successive plays without a huddle beforehand. On the positive side, the tempo completely belonged to the offense and stifled defensive substitutions(in fact, faked injuries by the defense would result in penalties in '89), but on the negative, it also gave the offense the same stress of fatigue and required a masterful unit capable of running multiple plays virtually on the fly. There's a reason the No Huddle never ushered in a brave new era of offensive playcalling; it demanded too much of the players running it in terms of physical and mental endurance. It was still a great situational tool, and has survived as such through the decades. Among the other tidbits; -Sacks were finally introduced as a statistic in '82, officially inflating the worth of pass rushers. Sadly run-stoppers without pass rushing skills were left in the shadows like usual. -Instant Replay, or a VHS-era version of it, arrived in '87 and would last until '92. It wasn't completely ideal- the delays could be quite extensive. It was also out of the hands of the field officials; an official in a booth would be the one to review the play and communicate with the refs via radio. -Stickum was officially banned in '81. -'Eligible Players' outside of the established numerical hierarchy(like extra linemen) had to report to Referees before the start of the next play. This is slightly important due to the quiet introduction of trick plays at the goal line involving linemen catching passes in the end zone.(Personal Note: I attended a Packers game in '05- the last game of an otherwise dismal season. At the time a reserve lineman named Kevin Barry was used as a tight end which in the best of times was used for a power rushing attack. And he was used a LOT. So what felt like every other play that the Packers were on offense that day, I kept hearing "Number 71 is Eligible" before each play.) -In '84, you could no longer leap to block an FG or a PAT unless you were lined up at the line of scrimmage. Goaltending(leaping up to deflect a kick as it passes through the goal posts was rendered illegal in '85. -Excessive, prolonged, or premeditated celebrations, whether individuals or groups, would be hit with Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalties starting in '84. The true genesis of the No Fun League. -Crowd Noise could be penalized starting in '89(A Home Team Crowd could get loud enough to affect the visiting team's ability to call plays. Such gamesmanship is impossible to totally stop unless you just played to no crowds whatsoever and if you do that you can kiss your money train goodbye). -Kickoffs that went out of bounds carried a drastic penalty in '87. Either the opposing team took possession thirty yards from the kick, or the spot it went out of bounds. A lone exception to this would be the first Onside Kick attempt. -Pass Interference in the End Zone placed the ball at the 1-yard line(or half the distance if the play started at the 2-yard line), starting in '87. -The 'Spike' was introduced in '87, as QBs were now permitted to stop the clock by throwing out of bounds or to the ground as long as it was thrown immediately after receiving the snap. -An offensive fumble in the opposing team's end zone that goes out of bounds would give the ball to the opposing team at the spot of the fumble starting in '86(in '91 the spot would be changed to a touchback) The Coaches and Strategies: Offensively, the change from the ground to the air was more a matter of interior strategy than any alteration of formation. Just about all offenses still used the same basic look; a QB and two RB, two WR, and a TE. It wasn't a complete and total Pro-Set; you could expect to see other backfield arrangements such as the I-Formation be utilized alongside the traditional Pro(this was still a time when Fullbacks were used in the running game). In addition, the passing variants were starting to come into their own; teams began to implement 3 WR formations, either as a long yardage or deep game situation, or a full-time gimmick(Washington). 2 TE formations also became a staple to most offenses, as well as a wrinkle for Goal Line Situations where 3 TE(or extra OL) could be used in a blatant run play. Typically, wideouts in these offenses were still expected to be used as vertical weapons, a home-run hitting changeup that would be set up by a relentless rushing attack. The lone exception to that rule would come to be known as the West Coast Offense. Time for a flashback. It's 1970, and the Cincinnati Bengals appear to be up [BLEEP] creek without a paddle. The prior season, the Bengals started with a hot rookie showing immense promise in Greg Cook, a guy who could make all the throws that a traditional vertical attack would require. Cook lasted the season, but an injury before '70 would ultimately end his career. Cincinnati went and got a man named Virgil Carter, who had toiled as a backup for a cruddy 1-13 Bears team in '69, but more importantly, lacked arm strength. Going by traditional offenses, this meant the passing attack would be neutered and some hard-luck seasons were in place. The Bengals were indeed coached by Paul Brown(he had been flat-out fired by the Browns in the early 60's but returned as Coach, GM, and Part-Owner of the expansion Bengals in '68), but the principal man involved in what came next was a then-QB Coach named Bill Walsh. The plan devised was simple; instead of incorporating the traditional long bomb, a series of short and intermediate routes would be utilized, typically no larger than 10-15 yards. While Carter's arm was weak, it was precise, and as long as the timing was right and the plays went off quickly, those routes became hard to defend. This went hand-in-hand with the elusiveness and speed of the receivers, who were counted upon to advance the ball after the catch. This worked for two years and a division title in '70, then Ken Anderson arrived. Ken had a stronger arm, but the offense wasn't scrapped; just elaborated upon to utilize the better arm. By '75 Ken was in his stride and things looked rosy. Then Paul Brown stepped down from coaching, and picked a different coach other than Walsh for his replacement. Then when Walsh left to find a head coaching gig, Brown allegedly blackwalled him from the NFL(I can see it; sports are full of Petty [BLEEP]s like that). It wasn't until a brief year of dominance at Stanford University that Walsh got a second chance in the NFL with the 49ers. From there he hooked up with Joe Montana, and the rest is history. By the 80's, this "West Coast Offense" was derided as a Finesse Offense, largely for the same reasons merely passing the ball back in the 20's was considered unmanly. If you didn't smash defenses in the mouth by running the ball, you were a wuss. This wasn't really true; the 49ers never took a sledgehammer to anybody... they just hacked all your limbs off with a machete. The offense wasn't just about compensating for a weak arm or slower receivers; it was an alternate idea of ground control. Usually you play the run to set up the pass... but it was the inverse in San Francisco. You passed first, and you ran under the right circumstances(short yardage moments or grinding down the clock while ahead). In '81 the offense worked with a largely non-descript group working alongside Montana, but by the end of the decade, there were clearcut playmakers on the team who could have thrived in just about any offense. You had Jerry Rice, who gave the team a deep kill-shot option that it never had before. You had Roger Craig and Tom Rathman, who were extensively valuable out of the backfield catching passes but were also effective on the ground. Guys like John Taylor and Brent Jones(and to a smaller effect Russ Francis) became excellent complimentary players. Yes, it could be beatable, but at its peak no offense ran better in the league. The defense is another matter entirely. The theme is usually to replicate the dominant team of the decade(in this case the 49ers), but this time there are two contenders who can't be dismissed; the New York Giants(run by, guess who, Bill Belichick) and the Chicago Bears(specifically, the '46' Defense of 1985 run by Buddy Ryan). About the lone similarity for all three defenses is on the line itself; three DTs, at least, three DTs that typically play the same giant boulder role. Chicago's '46' is a 4-3 but the fourth DL(Richard Dent) was typically switched from side to side, almost always aligned on the weakside where the TE is not(2 TE formations were the exception). The 49ers ran a psuedo-hybrid that was typically 3-4 but sometimes had four-man lines. Their weakside outside linebacker was eventually termed an 'Elephant Back' and was a DL who mostly aligned in a two-point(standing upright) stance, and he would also move around to line up where the TE was not. They used this look situationally with Fred Dean during the first half of the decade, but they began to use it more once Charles Haley arrived in the second half. The Giants are a pure 3-4 team, but they have the most devastating defender of the decade in Lawrence Taylor, a frighteningly athletic man who played like he was dusted up to the eyeballs(that's a cocaine reference) and was nearly impossible to block. LT would also be lined up on the weakside and would occasionally switch sides. '46' Defense:https://usatftw.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/46defe.png?w=1000&h=588 The number's not really significant from a formation perspective; that was the number of a Chicago safety named Doug Plank during Buddy Ryan's first years as Chicago's Defensive Coordinator. Plank was the safety who went up into the box and played like a linebacker for the team. (Best of my knowledge, they didn't really label that safety as the '46' in the diagrams) Like all three teams, this defensive unit adjusts depending on where the Tight End is. The weak side is always home to the rushing end, in this case Richard Dent. On the strong side is where things get a little strange; this is a 4-3 unit but both outside linebackers are slotted against the Tight End. That leaves the Middle Linebacker technically on an island despite the safety coming into the box. You'll notice this leaves three defensive backs covering the wideouts, but it's even riskier than that; the cornerbacks play bump-and-run and the Free Safety has no help and needs to make an immediate decision. Make no mistake, this formation depends wholesale on the intense eight-man rush swallowing up the QB or the run game before it can strike. More often than not it does; eight men against a maximum of seven, and that's just if you have max pass protection. Remember, most passing games during this time were still of the old long vertical variety, leaving unpleasant wait times in the face of brutal rushes compounded by the overall talent level of the QBs not being up to par. ...with one exception. Monday Night, midway through the '85 season. The Bears are undefeated and cruising, no one's managed to challenge the defense, let alone seriously beat them. Enter the Miami Dolphins and their hot young Quarterback in Dan Marino. Marino and the Dolphins made it to SB XIX last season and set insane passing records at the same time(the yardage total wouldn't be eclipsed for thirty years!). This is a titanic matchup, one that the Bears hadn't had all season long. If the '46' could bury Marino alive it would be a statement win to tower over all others. Only Marino's release is ungodly fast and his receivers are slippery... and most importantly, they stick to the short passing game. They don't give the Bears D the time to charge in on Marino. They gash Chicago play after play under the glare of Monday Night Television for all to see. The Dolphins have not only exposed a horrific flaw in the '46' Defense, namely that their risky pass defense is far too dependent on the pass rush hitting home, but they get the bonus of exposing another; Buddy Ryan is absolutely incapable of adjustment, to the point where he would rather fight his Head Coach on the sidelines instead. A brutal 38-24 loss fouls up what should've been a perfect season. Sadly, the Dolphins failed to make it to SB XX by virtue of faltering against the New England Patriots, who had the tempo of the game for all of a couple of minutes before the Bears came down on them like an avalanche. A Dolphins-Bears Super Bowl that year would've been an entirely different story. The Buddy Ryan meltdown was no big news that season(he resented Mike Ditka for being brought in as Head Coach when Ryan felt the job should've been his, and feuded with him all season long), but it's a greater context for assembling our team. We never got to see if Ryan would actually adjust for SB XX because the Dolphins failed to make it, so that remains a question mark. That leaves the '46' as a Win Big or Die formation against the Aliens, one that will most likely be exploited with no adjustment whatsoever. 4-3 Under with Elephant:https://assets.sbnation.com/assets/622180/08fifthdown-eleph-blogSpan.jpg I said that the 49ers ran a 3-4, mostly. Some situations they revert to a four-man line. And then there's this. The front line is like the Bears and Giants, only the 49ers still use a more balanced formation for their Linebackers. The 'EL' is the key difference. That's just the designation for the 'Elephant', technically the fourth DL. As we said, the 'Elephant' lined up in a spot more akin to an outside linebacker, and in a two-point stance. He's rushing standing up. This is kind of key, since he's not wasting energy from a three or four-point stance launching himself. Those stances are for leverage in the trenches; the lower you can go, the better you can beat your opponent. The Elephant is a rusher but he's got space to move, so those stances do not give him an advantage. He has the space to slip past a run blocker going for him, and gain speed going up against a pass blocker. LT operated under those same principles(though he did on occasion go into a lower stance, so did Charles Haley). The Elephant is always moved around to play on the weak side in order to keep pressure on the QB. That leaves the opposite outside linebacker with more of a coverage type role. At least by SB XIX, the 49ers ran a 'variant' defense, but it was less about the variety of formations to run than the personnel involved. At the time the 49ers had probably the deepest amount of DL and LB of any team and would substitute players frequently depending on down and distance. Guys like Fred Dean, Gary Johnson, and Louie Kelcher, the mainstays of an underrated San Diego unit that got split up, reunited to play bit roles for San Fran. I don't mean that insultingly; Dean and Johnson were pass rushing specialists and Kelcher was the space-eating run defender on short downs. That kind of variance is promising if you're considering an All-Decade team and want to put the notion of PT to rest for those positions. That said, I think that versatility went away somewhat in '88 and '89. New York Giants 3-4: This is honestly the most basic. There really isn't a 'gimmick' look that the Giants used on the regular, but all the same this is perhaps the most flexible defense during this decade in the NFL, and much of it has to do with the Dark Master himself. Bill Belichick started out the 80's as the Special Teams Coordinator, and was swiftly upgraded to LB Coach once Bill Parcells took over the Head Coaching job. A couple more years and Belichick was given the Defensive Coordinator job in '85. A year later, the Giants win SB XXI. After three years coming up short, they win SB XXV. That's about as stale and blunt as Darth Bill's press conferences these days, but the guy isn't Buddy Ryan. There's definitely in-game audio where he and Parcells get slightly testy with one another, but Bill never came off as the decisively lesser man in those moments. He was so dang excellent at preparation that he had LT himself singing his praises. The cruel part is that his finest showing happened in a year after this decade, in '90. That would be SB XXV, against the Buffalo Bills and their K-Gun offense. The Bills had a gifted passer in Jim Kelly, an exceptional running back in Thurman Thomas, and elite receivers in Andre Reed and James Lofton. They ran a 3 WR Shotgun formation... and it was No-Huddle. Not as a change of pace, but for the whole game. Granted, this was unveiled in a December Game that season, but it already took the NFL by storm. So, how do you stop it? Belichick had a plan. And the players nearly revolted over it. The idea was to let Thomas run all over them. They would go into a two-DL Nickel formation for the most part, and let Thurman Thomas gouge them for major yardage. All game long. No sane defense voluntarily does that. Nobody wants to be deliberately run on all game long! But then, Bill explained himself. The more the Bills went with the run, the less they would go with the Pass, where the Bills really could hurt opposing teams if so inclined. Combine that with a Nickel formation that emphasized Man Coverage(as opposed to Zone which was sort of the standard) and the end result was a close game that led to "Wide Right!" This is the key component that makes the Giants D a contender for this team; at the end of the day, their Defensive Coordinator was extremely flexible and could dial up a new game plan based on what he studied and scouted(and yes, so much of that was having a veteran team that could adapt right with him, but you can find those guys on the Giants and on other teams so it's not a case of Belichick riding on anyone's coattails.) With all that in mind... Head Coach: Bill Walsh- 1988 Defensive Coordinator: Bill Belichick- 1989 Offense: West Coast Defense: 3-4 Key Assistant: Paul Hackett- 1984(QB/WR Coach) Key Assistant: Sherman Lewis- 1988(RB Coach) Key Assistant: Bobb McKittrick- 1988(OL Coach) Key Assistant: Fred Von Appen- 1984(Assistant OL Coach/TE Coach) Key Assistant: Lamar Leachman- 1989(DL Coach) Key Assistant: Len Fontes- 1986(DB Coach) Key Assistant: Romeo Crennel- 1989(Special Teams) Key Assistant: Mike Sweatman- 1989(Defensive Assistant/Assistant Special Teams) Key Assistant: Jerry Attaway- 1988(Physical Development) Key Assistant: Neal Dahlen- 1988(Research and Development) I went with Belichick and his defense for the following reasons; One, I found his flexibility appealing in a "this team has answers for everything" angle. Two, LT openly praised him and since LT is hands down the best defensive player this decade, his word speaks volumes. If there's a potential worrying angle, it's that Walsh would tear into his assistants. He did this instead of tearing into his players because he wanted them to elevate their performance to save their coaches(the guy was a master manipulator on par with Lombardi). I personally think Belichick can handle that. I also think Belichick and Walsh can adjust their base game plans on an elevated roster of talent better than anyone else in this decade. Belichick's versatility is already known, but did you know Walsh installed the freaking Wishbone for a Replacement Game in '87?(Side Note; The '87 season was marred by an early season strike by the Players. Only, instead of losing a giant chunk of the season, the owners opted for Scab players, or replacements who otherwise never would have gotten into the NFL. This was a deeply unpleasant moment in the history of sport and one could easily question their commitment to such things if this was front and center in their lives. Or maybe I'm thinking too positively about the Mob that is Sports Fandom) The Offense comes from the 49ers Staff. With two exceptions, everyone's from the 1988 year(George Seifert took over in '89, so there's a mild question about being in sync). Paul Hackett was hired to be the "Offensive Coordinator" for the Dallas Cowboys after 1985... only you know the stories about Tom Landry's control of things. Fred von Appen was a little different; he switched over to a Defensive Line job in the latter half of the 80's and followed Bill Walsh to Stanford in '89. I prefer to have him assist McKittrick on the OL and coach up the Tight Ends. He also did Special Teams, but not here. The biggest worry is Bobb McKittrick, who preferred smaller athletes as opposed to big burly brawlers. The going theory was that style was better for blocking in the West Coast. It made them vulnerable inside to an immediate bull rush. The Defense and Special Teams come from the Giants. The defensive staff makes sense, since they work under Belichick. The Giants didn't win the Super Bowl in '89, but I was willing to work with a collective chip on their shoulders over their Home Playoff Loss to the Rams that year. They're technically on the cusp of making some small changes to their gameplanning which greatly helped the Giants in '90, so perhaps that same magic could pop up here. As for Special Teams, I'm deferring more to Belichick on the matter because he started out on Special Teams(and to this day it's the one subject he perks up about) and knows Crennel quite well(Romeo would become one of his first Defensive Coordinators during the early half of the Patriots dynasty). As for the rest, it's probably easier to say Jerry is the quote-unquote Strength and Conditioning coach for the 49ers. He has a fair bit more on his resume than the Giants' Johnny Parker, especially helping Montana recover from a back injury in '86. Neal was actually a part of the Front Office by '88 and had worked his way up the 49ers ladder since '79. His role in research and development is more of an executive one, but we'll be using the 49ers research staff anyways, so he's a good name to put as the head on this particular department. The Offensive Lineup: 45 Players in total, again. As always, 11 starters on this end. The 49ers did, by the end of the decade, incorporate more than the standard formation, so there are 3 WR and 2 TE sets to make use of. That said, the Pro Set arrangement is still the standard, so that's how the lineup will shake out. Starting Quarterback: Joe Montana- 1988 -6'2 200. San Francisco 49ers: 1979-92/ Kansas City Chiefs: 1993-94http://cdn-s3.si.com/images/1985-0120-Super-Bowl-XIX-Joe-Montana-05822975.jpg The argument between Joe Montana and Dan Marino is the quintessential Quarterback argument for All-Time Teams. Marino is perhaps the greatest passing talent of his era, while Montana was the greatest champion quarterback. Detractors would say all Montana has over Marino is four Super Bowls. Those same detractors also claim that Marino just needed a running game and a defense and he'd have the championships to be the GOAT, or, even crazier, that titles are irrelevant to the sheer mastery of his craft, which is the purest sign of a Loser. I should know; I'm a Packers fan and I've seen the Brady/Rodgers matchup over the course of this decade. Apart from the titles, the two things Montana had over Marino were his legs(which were vastly underrated in the first half of the 80's but by the latter half that advantage dried up), and his coolness under pressure. He engineered lots of comeback drives over the course of his career; they coined the term "Montana Magic" for a reason. Marino, for all his positives, wasn't able to carry his teams back to the Super Bowl after the '84 season. Unfair, perhaps, but you want Champions who've been to the summit and conquered at this position. Of equal importance to the Championships is the Coach-QB dynamic. Most regard Walsh-Montana as one of the best tandems in the history of the NFL, but it's not without issues. The possibility that Walsh might opt for another QB seems ludicrous at face value, but he did admit at one point that "[Dan] Marino IS the system." This was a comment he made in comparison to Montana, who operated his West Coast System as well as any QB could have, which honestly offers nothing more than hearsay. Of far greater importance is the trade Walsh made for Steve Young before the '87 season. Youngsters might think Young was a lifelong 49er, but that's simply not true. He opted to go to the Los Angeles Express of the United States Football League(spring football), and after that league folded he was a part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers(he was a supplemental draft selection, a far lesser known draft process which deals with players who were not part of, or opted out of the normal draft). However, by the time Walsh grabbed Young, the QB had gone from prospect to bust. Even so, grabbing a natural talent of Young's caliber to sit behind Montana was a worrisome prospect for the veteran. '88 blew that initial unease right out of the water when Walsh continually had Montana and Young compete for PT. It wasn't as much of a competition as it seemed at the time; Young only got three actual starts during the season, and the rest of the time he was subbed in for mere stretches. It did throw the team for a loop, and things did not quiet down until Walsh finally gave up the project and gave the ball to Montana. Now, one could argue that this was a Master Manipulator in action(Montana stopped resting on his laurels once he had a legit threat behind him on the depth chart), but in my opinion, Walsh almost kept the experiment going regardless of the friction it was generating on the team. As it was, he made his decision just in time, as the team sound their sync and Montana delivered a hot streak in the playoffs. Ultimately, what solidified the choice of '88 Montana- other than it being Walsh's last year- was the way the season ended in SB XXIII, a rematch against the Cincinnati Bengals. Up to the last drive, it had been a sluggish affair filled with one or two major plays and a glutton of field goals. Cincinnati led 16-13 with 3:20 left in the 4th, and the 49ers had the ball on their own eight-yard line. After an initial moment in the huddle("Is that John Candy?" Montana says to his teammates), Joe begins a methodical drive downfield. Only a couple of running plays are called. Joe completes 8 of 9 receptions(the incompletion was essentially a throwaway) and picks apart the Bengals defense, only coming to a crucial third down situation once. A breakaway reception by Jerry Rice gets the ball within striking distance of their kicker, but screw that, they're going for it all. Two plays later they inside the Red Zone with under forty seconds left, and Joe hits a laser to John Taylor in the end zone, securing the victory. Apart from John O'Brien's field goal in SB V, it was the second game winning score in the final moments in Super Bowl History(and it would be the last until Adam Vinatieri jumpstarted the Patriot Dynasty in the 00's). Starting Running Back: Walter Payton- 1985 -5'10 200. Chicago Bears: 1975-87https://foraslanandvolstate.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/walter_payton_touchdown.jpg You already know the attributes that got Sweetness onto the 70's team. The same applies here. The funny perception about the West Coast Offense is that it typically leaves running backs looking ordinary. At best they are middling runners with on-ground stats that barely reach competent. They compensate for this with a high number of receptions. That was my experience growing up and watching Edgar Bennett shoulder the primary running load for about three full seasons with the Packers. As a runner, he was a borderline 1,000 yard rusher who could only dominate in a quagmire. He was more useful catching passes on screens. Then in '97 he gets injured in the preseason and in comes Dorsey Levens, who unleashes the kind of season on the ground that Green Bay hadn't seen since the days of Jim Taylor. RBs in the WCO would largely not run for over 1,400 yards like Dorsey did. The 49ers had production like that from their running backs quite a bit, first from Wendell Tyler and then Roger Craig. Despite that, the 49ers expectations were that the backs be as complete as possible; nobody was a glorified tailback who just took the pigskin to the house on every down. You had to catch passes and you had to block; Sweetness can do both of those things, even during his 'aging veteran' years. He was a large enough 'team' player and an intense driver that he could easily learn the WCO and how to operate in it. The one indignity that Sweetness "suffered" was not scoring a touchdown in his lone Super Bowl appearance. In truth, he hardly had a memorable stretch in the playoffs that year. Defenses simply keyed on him, as he was still the lynchpin of the Bear offense around this time(they had a strong-armed QB in Jim McMahon, who quarterbacked like a lineman and some real deep threats at wideout including olympic-class sprinter Willie Gault, but those were change-up players behind Payton). Had the defense not been gangbusters it might have been just another failed year for Chicago. But wait, we mentioned the likes of Roger Craig who played this role for the 49ers, but we don't have him starting at Running back? Why? Starting Fullback: Roger Craig- 1984 -6'0 222. San Francisco 49ers: 1983-90/ Los Angeles Raiders: 1991/ Minnesota Vikings: 1992-93http://rogercraig33.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Roger-Craig-TD-vs-Cowboys.jpg You probably didn't know Craig started out as a fullback. That actually started late into his college career at Nebraska, when Craig was a Heisman candidate but was asked to play Fullback and block for a newcomer with great promise named Mike Rozier. Craig did so, though injuries kinda eliminated that plan. When he got to the 49ers he took on a similar role blocking for Wendell Tyler but his versatility gave him a greater role after SB XIX. In '85 he achieved an impossible record; he became the first back to rush for 1,000 yards and receive for 1,000 yards. By 1987 he was shifted to the Running back role and his lead blocker would be Tom Rathman(who unfortunately failed to qualify). Craig would be the workhorse back through two more Super Bowls before the wheels finally came off in '90. For his time, Craig was a predecessor to the likes of Marshall Faulk. He wasn't just a safety valve the way Chuck Foreman was used in the prior decade; he was a weapon in his own right, one defenses had to respect. About the only flaw Craig has as a fullback is that he's merely willing and proficient at lead blocking. He's not explosive at it. That's less of a flaw and more of a nitpick, one that can be rectified with a bench selection if necessary. '84 Craig is kind of a hidden player who had his breakout performance in SB XIX. This means he has more tread on his tires than '85 Craig or '88 Craig would've. You'd think it wouldn't matter as much('85 Payton is only two years away from retirement, for instance), but this is the secret weapon out of the backfield. Starting Wide Receiver: Jerry Rice- 1988 -6'2 200. San Francisco 49ers: 1985-2000/ Oakland Raiders: 2001-04/ Seattle Seahawks: 2004https://i.pinimg.com/736x/22/c8/5d/22c85da7b72b88e3b518781041e0fa47.jpg As long as he qualified, he was gonna be in the lineup as the top wideout. In a vacuum this guy was an excellent route runner who was notoriously fast with the ball in his hands, had the strongest work ethic a player could ever have without falling into the "Homicidal Serial Killer" mode that Michael Jordan had, was the greatest blocking receiver of his era, and had enough athletic skills to keep up with the rest. Other guys were probably faster, taller, and could jump higher, but none of them were as skilled as he was. Add Joe Montana to the mix and his value multiplies exponentially. The WCO is a timing offense, and these two perfected the timing they had with each other. You'll see a lot of connections between these two where Rice is going over the middle, into that no-mans land where linebackers and safeties can land thunderous blows with the ball in traffic. And in many of them, you see Montana deliver the ball perfectly to Rice and Rice slicing across the field in full stride during and after the catch. I say this with no sense of hyperbole; Montana-Rice is the greatest QB-WR combo that has ever existed in the NFL(only Brady-Moss could have challenged that pedastal, but they needed a few more years and some actual Super Bowl Wins together). There's some slight concern about his hands. He had the drops during his rookie season, but even in later years, a funny thing started to emerge; Rice would drop passes at a rate you wouldn't expect for an elite receiver(not butterfingers, but closer to normal), followed by announcers constantly making reference to Rice's elite status and how surprising that drop was. He also claimed in '15 that he applied some stickum to his gloves- he came into the league some years after stickum was officially banned. He later backtracked on that claim, but the inital claim coming from his own mouth makes the backtrack look false. Either way, his hands may not be as good as advertised, especially if he's prevented from using the stickum trick, but it's not enough to eliminate him or even give him a lesser role. Starting Wide Receiver: James Lofton- 1982 -6'3 192. Green Bay Packers: 1978-86/ Los Angeles Raiders: 1987-88/ Buffalo Bills: 1989-92/ Philadelphia Eagles: 1993/ Los Angeles Rams: 1993https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3e/4e/0a/3e4e0ac18ee7f320586671a5663a42fe.jpg It came down to Lofton and Steve Largent of the Seahawks. Largent probably was the better route runner and had greater hands and gets reps for his blocking despite his size. Lofton was close enough when it came to hands and route running(I would classify Lofton as a willing and average blocker for his position), but he had elite speed and really did a number of things that Jerry Rice would do. In fact, around '82 Bill Walsh himself considered James to be the best WR of that particular time. A sterling showing in a Divisional Round loss to Dallas in the playoffs(including an end-around reverse that went 71 yards for a touchdown) reinforced that notion. Like several other deep burners in the player pool, Lofton was a track star, missing out on the Olympics in '76 and '80(At least the '80 miss was due to the USA boycotting the event), and he likely had the greatest football skills of the bunch. Going from a vertical offense like in Green Bay(which for a year or so was one of the best in the NFL) to the WCO is likely going to involve a transition period for Lofton, as he'll more often catch passes in stride than look for the deep ball. You can't really say he was saddled with garbage QBs(Lynn Dickey was underrated as a deep bomber), but you could say that they weren't Montana or Marino either. Once he understands the footwork and timing, he'll be downright lethal to secondaries who already have to contend with Rice and our Tight End. Starting Tight End: Kellen Winslow Sr.- 1981 -6'5 251. San Diego Chargers: 1979-87https://i.pinimg.com/originals/56/04/8f/56048f0db10d391464d3d6a7e64f21ca.jpg I won't lie; I was totally considering leaving Winslow off the list. It's not "Exclude Jim Brown" levels of Blasphemy, but close enough. I took what I knew of Winslow; that as a Tight End he was revolutionary; his mobility was on par with other wideouts, and in a bid to keep defenses from bumping him on every play, the Air Coryell offense started to split him out wide, or in the slot, or put him in motion, all sorts of arrangements meant to create mismatches against the defense. Linebackers couldn't keep up, and cornerbacks were too weak. He wasn't renowned as a blocker- in fact, the frequent usage of him out wide implied that he likely left a lot to be desired. I thought a more normal type of tight end, one that could block, would be better used on this offense. Finding out that the 49ers weren't especially innovative with their Tight Ends(including a resurrected Russ Francis) also seemed to be a strike against Winslow, as he'd be largely an afterthought. My research disabused me of these notions. To begin with, Winslow was used as a blocker, primarily on run plays. And frankly he wasn't terrible at it. He could do it in a pinch- but it wasn't what he focused on and everybody knew it. Makes sense; you don't waste guys like that as blockers if you can help it. He was more serviceable as a downfield blocker, though that stems a little more from having mismatches in his favor more often than on the line. Bottom line was if you squint you could probably still use Winslow in a conventional means, though he would be somewhat negated... but just to be safe, I had to look into what the 49ers were doing with the Tight End. Specifically, I was looking past the Russ Francis years and at the last two Super Bowls, XXIII and XXIV. XXIV was against the Denver Broncos and it was a clownshow. 55-10 is still the greatest thrashing in the Super Bowl to date and it wasn't close; the Broncos were gouged repeatedly by post routes and John Elway threw as if he was utterly hungover. This was also the year George Seifert took over as Head Coach and the offensive responsibilities fell to Mike Holmgren, so it might be unfair to use this as an example when Bill Walsh is the guy who will ultimately decide on how to use the TE. And to be honest, it's rather conventional; the 49ers used a rotation of three guys(Brent Jones, Wesley Walls, and a late addition named Jesse Williams), and occasionally use a 2 TE set for short yardage situations, but the typical Pro Set was by far the standard used by the 49ers that day. Jones was the only one of the bunch actually used as anything other than a blocker(including pass blocking, which sounds anathema to any kind of pass attack), and would actually be used as a sort of field-stretcher alongside Jerry Rice and John Taylor. He only caught a seven-yard touchdown pass, but could get downfield and drag linebackers with him. Conventional, but promising. The rotation would seemingly allow for Winslow to be subbed out for a better blocker in specific situations and his mobility was certainly superior to Jones, enough so that he'd actually become a legit option in the passing game as a result. XXIII was against the Cincinnati Bengals, and Bill Walsh was in charge. The strategem was monumentally different. The 49ers still used a two-back backfield, but they would sometimes go with a 3 WR set and eschew a TE entirely. In a desperate pinch, like at least once during the final game-winning drive they would go further and use a 4 WR set. But the really interesting part was they would toss out a formation that used the TE, but out wide. The TE(in this case, a nondescript John Frank) would be on the outside, while one of the receivers was in the slot alongside him(I saw Mark Chumura lined up similarly during one play in SB XXXI, and Holmgren was the QB coach in '88, so...). That outside role, and the 3 WR set, made an even greater case for Winslow's presence. That 3 WR set is as good as pulling the TE off the line and motioning him wide, and Winslow had the skills and mobility of a receiver to begin with. In addition, using him in that wide-out arrangement would make him a genuine threat that the defense cannot ignore, and forces them to pick their poison; Rice, Lofton, or Winslow? The only honest caveat would be to not use Winslow as a pass blocker, but I like to think Walsh is smart enough to understand this. '81 Winslow had a unique performance in the '81 Divisional Playoffs against the Miami Dolphins. That game is known as the "Epic in Miami" for the records set and the brutally humid conditions. Players were dehydrated and cramping, both sides would have flurries of scoring. Winslow was his usual dynamic self as a receiver, but he found himself on the kick blocking team with scant seconds left and the score tied at 38. Miami had the chance to win the game right there, but it was Winslow who just managed to tip the ball and prevent the score, sending the game into Overtime(and gave him an All-Body Cramp, which I have to assume is like combining a taser shock with a hangover and a gangbanging beatdown). The Chargers would fall to the Bengals the next week in a game called the Freezer Bowl(exactly the inverse conditions), but Winslow would catch the team's lone score of the game. By '83 the first of a cluster of knee injuries befell him, and his prime was lost. Sadly, that block was a leaper from behind the line of scrimmage, which was rendered illegal a few years later. Otherwise, Winslow would've made for an interesting weapon as a kick blocker in clutch moments. Starting Left Tackle: Anthony Munoz- 1985 -6'6 278. Cincinnati Bengals: 1980-92http://a1.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2009%2F0327%2Fnfl_g_amunoz1_576.jpg Alright, I mentioned that OL Coach Bobb McKittrick preferred athletes over behemoths. That requires a rephrasing. He preferred mobile athletes rather than fat guys. I looked at the starting OL for the 49ers through the 80's, and to be honest, it wasn't really an undersized affair. The tackles from '83 onwards(Bubba Paris and Keith Fahnhorst) were hardly undersized for their positions. If anything, the interior line(John Ayers, Fred Quillian, Randy Cross) averaged about 260 pounds all the way through the midpoint of the decade, until they started leaving. That was where the undersized label got genuine traction. But by '88, all but Cross were replaced by players at the 270+ range, and in '89 Cross was retired. So by the end the 49ers line had beefed up, and with McKittrick being taken in '88, this means we don't really have to limit the linemen pools in terms of size. Not that it matters here, because Munoz was such a complete player that the preceding paragraph was filler. The initial opinion of the experts when Munoz was drafted was that it was an extreme risk. He had only played 16 games in college(a combination of waiting his turn in a strong USC program and a freak knee injury), but had an exceptional Rose Bowl performance and was drafted in the 1st Round by the Bengals. From there, the rest was history. Munoz only missed three regular season games during this decade- all of them during the '87 strike. His durability was fantastic, as was his technique and intelligence. Forrest Gregg in Jim Parker's body- that's an apt way to describe it. His balance was world-class, his passing play stance practically self taught(it was a wide stance with his left foot placed way back). His workouts were more balanced towards conditioning rather than raw strength, and it payed off in his athleticism. It also payed off once the Bengals created their own version of a No-Huddle offense and went after opposing teams all game with it. One could maybe make the case that some of his excellence came from the fact that the second half of the 80's was spent with Norman "Boomer" Esiason under center- Esiason was a lefty. Remember the talk we had about Art Shell and Gene Upshaw blocking for a lefty QB in Ken Stabler last decade? Same thing here, but he also blocked for Ken Anderson in the early half of the decade and Anderson was a righty, so it's not a major problem. '85 Munoz has a gimmick, albeit one that won't be as effective now. The Bengals started taking advantage of Munoz's athleticism in '84 by lining him up as a tight end in Goal Line Situations. He would catch seven passes in his career, six of them from '84 to '87. Four of them were for touchdowns. It's a fascinating wrinkle to use on the goal line, but it wouldn't really be as effective this time around because of that rule change which required linemen to report when they were Eligible Receivers. The Aliens might see it coming... though having Munoz as a tight end means you have another tackle on the line and the goal line plunges may be stronger as a result, meaning you can still instigate some form of trickery in the Goal Line formation with Munoz. And just for fun, have some cringe!https://usatthebiglead.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/grab-2016-09-07-08h42m02s62-e1473255801951.png?w=1024&h=576&crop=1 Starting Left Guard: John Hannah- 1980 -6'2 265. New England Patriots: 1973-85http://www.patriotsgab.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/3-john-hannah-ot_pg_600.jpg Hannah missed out on the 70's team because of specific circumstances. The '78 tandem of Hannah and Leon Gray on the left side certainly helped the Patriots rush for 3,000 yards collectively that season, but I couldn't put them ahead of the '76 tandem of Art Shell and Gene Upshaw. There was enough of a Raiders/Patriots feud that pairing Shell and Hannah up may have been risky(and natural All-Star teammates trump All-Star mashups any day). Leaving him off the bench might've been more unforgivable despite the fact he would've only played on Special Teams- I needed a legit Locker Room glue guy and Sam Davis turned out to be the best bet. Nitpicky reasons, and because this wasn't a pure merit exercise, Hannah but a bump rap. Thankfully there's no compensation factor here, as Hannah leads the group of Left Guards in this decade despite retiring after '85. The weight isn't really a conservative estimate. Hannah took up weight training and slimmed down some before the '80 season because he was recovering from a '79 Knee Injury. It paid off as he had the best season of his career and got a juicy Front-Cover photo and major story on Sports Illustrated afterwards. Here's the story; https://www.si.com/vault/1981/08/03/825825/john-hannah-doesnt-fiddle-around-at-least-not-on-the-football-field-where-says-the-author-his-brains-brawn-and-speed-have-made-him-the-top-offensive-lineman-in-nfl-history Hannah got a slightly unfair rap over he and Gray holding a contract holdout in '77. Largely this was because the ownership simply didn't have the money, but also because they reneged on a deal made to them by then-coach Chuck Fairbanks. Said ownership would essentially reduce a promising late 70's Patriots team to a mediocre outfit with a surprise Super Bowl appearance in '85(where the Bears mauled them 46-10). Hannah would retire after SB XX, ending his career just short of that plateau. The best thing you could say about Hannah is that he played at the weight that the 49ers initially wanted from their linemen and would've given them everything they wanted in terms of mobility and strength. Starting Center: Dwight Stephenson- 1986 -6'2 255. Miami Dolphins: 1980-87https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e7/5d/2c/e75d2cc7e71d82aa616a54721918a9fa.jpg Sometimes players enter the NFL, blaze with the intensity of a thousand suns, and then they get snuffed out without warning. Gaynell Tinsley in the late 30's was one of the earliest examples(You could count Red Grange but he went on to have a productive career after the injury that killed his potential), Gale Sayers was another. Among them is Dwight, who for the brief five or so years he spent as an actual starter was hands down the greatest Center of his time. Most would note the career he had as a starter(1983-87) eclipses the arrival of Dan Marino and they'd undoubtedly think Marino's presence put a major spotlight on Dwight's performances, or that Marino's release made Dwight a better blocker. The game tape doesn't back the latter claim; Dwight isn't just holding his ground on his blocks, he's manhandling them. He's knocking them to the ground judo-style, he's wasting one defender then shifting over to demolish another defender in the span of a second. He's taking on Nose Tackles single-handedly(and he's only 250-ish pounds which is still a bit light for engaging defenders directly over you) and embarrassing them. As for the former, defenses reportedly gameplanned around stopping Dwight before Dan arrived on the scene, so he had a strong reputation from the players and coaches. It may be true that Dan's arrival and performance rasied the casual spotlight and made those outside of the opposing teams take notice. What did Dwight have? Well, many of the intangibles we associate with Munoz and Hannah. Breathtaking mobility, enough so that Miami wanted him to lead out on sweeps. Nobody was superior to him at backing up and engaging pass rushers. But his upper body strength was incredible, especially for his size, which made him effective as a run blocker as well. In fact, his strength was enough to engage defenders single-handedly. That's the fascinating part. Dwight's one of the first Centers- and certainly one of the very few who didn't have to balloon past 280 pounds- that could take on defenders lined up right over him and not just hold his own but dominate them. We've been discussing that problem ever since the 60's when the notion of pulling a DT over the Center was first introduced. The traditional 240 pound greyhound fell by the wayside with only a handful taking it past the 70's, but by the 80's the traditional center had bulked up to about 250-260 pounds and was still having problems with those defenders. What happened then was they would typically have assistance from a guard, which happened lots because this was the era of the three DL line. Teams either ran straight 3-4 formations, or they ran 4-3 formations which juggled their lines so that they had the same advantage over the centers. If you didn't have Dwight, then you eventually had to bulk somebody up. By the 90's, 270-80 pounds were becoming the norm. Dwight's career ended on a freak play late in '87. The Dolphins fumbled, and the ball was being returned. Dwight wasn't near the play, but he started to move and a defender looking to block him took him by surprise on his blind side. His knee was damaged badly, and that was that. (Still, his career was enough to get him a footnote on NFL's Top 100 as the #101 guy). Starting Right Guard: Bruce Matthews- 1989 Secondary Positions: Long Snapper(FG/PAT), Center(Reserve), Tackle(Reserve) -6'5 305. Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans: 1983-2001https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/offensive-lineman-bruce-matthews-of-the-houston-oilers-blocks-carl-picture-id930747442 If I were to do a complete All-Time team as opposed to All-Decade, I would have Matthews as my 6th OL. Not that I don't think he's starter material, but I value his versatility to the point where I would make him my glue guy, someone who can come off the bench and fill in at virtually any spot on the line. Your average team typically holds very few active reserve OL, so they tend to back up multiple positions to begin with. It's just that anyone who could back up so many positions with great proficiency is more likely a set-in-stone starter on the line. And once you have a starter pigeonholed for a specific position, they tend to stay in that position, and thus the thought of their versatility becomes reduced to theoretical arguments. Matthews is one of the view Hall-of-Fame caliber players who got passed around the offensive line during his career, mostly in the interior. He's also the beneficiary of a player pool at Right Guard that frankly isn't wowing me(don't I sound like a pretentious [BLEEP] there). Good-to-Great players to be sure, but Matthews was probably the most mobile of the lot; he had to be, because Houston's offense was of the Run and Shoot variety. A Run and Shoot typically only has a single running back and three or four wideouts. Sometimes there's a tight end, but not really. As a result, linemen were expected to be agile. Matthews thrived in this offense, which says lots about him being mobile on this team. A note about his secondary positions. After his rookie season, Matthews was switched to Center, then to both tackle spots. I already mentioned his versatility, but in this case, that knowledge was legit. I would say he's better rated for interior work than as a tackle, but he'd still slide over if necessary. As for the Long Snapper duties, he did snap for Punts as well, and I did say Matthews was mobile. It's just that you want your Long Snappers on punts to be even more mobile- there's a reason they're typically of a size suited for Tight Ends or Linebackers... or they simply aren't heavy enough to be linemen to begin with. Inversely, having him snap for field goals and extra points offers stronger interior protection on the line as opposed to the traditional long snapper(even if you can't line anyone directly over him). I'd be remiss not to mention his family, which is one of the few large and renowned enough to be NFL royalty. He has a brother, Clay Jr.(Clay Sr. played in the 50's) who played linebacker for 19 years. Clay's son, also Clay, you may remember from the Packers and is now playing for the Rams. Bruce has seven kids, two of which have already played in the NFL and one more might just join them- he's in High School right now. Starting Right Tackle: Jackie Slater- 1983 -6'4 277. Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams: 1976-95https://www.vnews.com/getattachment/b4daafc6-7952-4db9-9023-21d80638c467/fbn-slaters-db-vn-013019-ph04 Slater was the obvious choice here... but which year? Most people, if they knew of the elder Slater(his son Matt plays for the Patriots), and knew of his career, would pick '89 strictly for the job he did against Reggie White in the playoffs against the Eagles. Trouble is, that Slater was 35, and he was visibly slower than one would've expected from his reputation as a consistent and dependable blocker. '83 Slater was only 29, and had five years experience as a starter including that year. The unit as a whole had a great year riding the coattails of Eric Dickerson and protecting the QB, but Slater's reputation took a turn for the better with a bizaare incident against Mark Gastineau of the Jets during that season. What happened was that Gastineau got past Slater for a sack during that game, and proceeded to do his Sack Dance. Celebrations are relatively common these days, given for even some of the most mundane things like a tackle or a first down, but back then I think it was largely limited to touchdowns. Gastineau did his dance after sacks. It was rather obnoxious to everyone at the time(unless you were a Jets fan, I suppose), only this time Slater gave him a shove mid-dance. This instigated a fight between both teams, but secretly, just about everyone was on Slater's side of that confrontation. I just personally think '83 Slater is more athletic and conditioned then '89 Slater. He did have some issues with 3-4 Rushbackers and some of the more mobile 4-3 DE that were out there at the time, but who didn't have problems with those guys, y'know, other than Munoz? You can live with that small weakness, as Slater gives you everything else you want in a Right Tackle. The Defensive Lineup: 11 Starters, with the base formation being 3-4. The Giants' defensive system is fairly static; apart from LT and the other OLB, the other defenders tend to stay in their respective positions. Star players like LT are actually moved about on their respective defenses a fair bit, usually because said players are the best on the team and moving them about makes the defense less predictable. This gives Belichick an option, as he'll likely have multiple players who can move around and still be effective, but I have to admit it's probably overrated when put in the context of an All-Star defense. If a player can be moved around in this defense, that's because it fills a niche in one of the subpackages most likely. Starting Left Defensive End: Reggie White- 1988 -6'5 291. Philadelphia Eagles: 1985-92/ Green Bay Packers: 1993-98/ Carolina Panthers: 2000http://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/images/1990-Reggie-White-Jack-Trudeau-005514603.jpg A lot of this selection has to do with the raw physical numbers. The "Minister of Defense"(Not a no-nothing nickname; the guy was an ordained Minister) was big(6'5 280+) and strong(400+ Bench Press) but unusually fast(4.6 speed), which took a body that would normally be shifted inside to tackle and made him highly qualified as an outside rusher. In terms of technique, I would compare him to Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon, who had a few select low post moves, but was godlike with them. Reggie had a few moves at his disposal, most notably an Inside Club that was called the "Hump", and at least one or two complementary moves to be used against a lineman waiting for the Hump. There are some knocks; he would lose stamina in the latter half of his career(not important here), and he did have a quirk about not going all-out on every play(this can be shadowed somewhat by the other talent surrounding him). Formation's a slight issue. White spent the majority of his career on Four-Man lines, only in '85(Rookie season just before Buddy Ryan arrived) and in '93(first season in Green Bay) did he play on Three-Man fronts. He could play in them, and in most cases be highly effective in them... but it's fairly obvious he preferred the 40 rather than the 30. Even so, his talent is too good to discard. It helps that he has played inside before and that he's not a pure outside monster. Buddy Ryan's Eagles were different than the Bears in that the 46 was more of a Secondary Formation than the Primary; the base was a more standard 4-3. Even so, the 46 was used a fair bit, and White duplicated Dan Hampton's role, where he would go inside and play over the opposing Center. This defense will likely have a pass rusher at Nose Tackle on long third downs and the like, so Reggie's probably the primary candidate for that role. Fun fact; he was almost a New York Giant. In the 1984 Supplemental draft, the Eagles selected him 4th overall(White was playing for the Memphis Showboats of the USFL at the time, hence the Supplemental pick), but the Giants were picking third. Instead they chose an offensive tackle named Gary Zimmerman, who admittedly was really good... problem was he never wanted to play in New York and that pick totally bombed. Imagine Reggie and LT on the same defense... just imagine it. Starting Nose Tackle: Michael Carter- 1988 -6'2 285. San Francisco 49ers: 1984-92http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/michael-carter-of-the-san-francisco-49ers-plays-in-a-national-league-picture-id623239660?s=594x594 The Nose Tackle in this defense is not expected to be a pass rusher. The primary expectations are that they swallow up blockers and help wall up the interior run defense during first and second downs. That's fine, as this team is going to be loaded with effective and lethal rushers on all sides. There are two candidates who fill this role; Fred Smerlas, one of the more forgotten stars of his time, and Carter, who was a Shot Putter that earned a Silver Medal in the '84 Olympics(that and his track background led experts to think he'd set football aside for the '88 Olympics, which is why he was a fifth-round draft pick). Smerlas has more All-Pro accolades, and is usually the only NT taken on All-Decade teams, if Nose Tackles are bothered to be selected at all. The thing was, Carter's athletic prime came when Centers started to get bigger. Smerlas had his peak in the early 80's under Chuck Knox, the front point of Buffalo's Bermuda Triangle(alongside ILBs Jim Haslett and Shane Nelson), but at that time most Centers were still in the 250-260 range for weight. By '88, Centers had reached 270-80. Smerlas had a resurgence in '88 to be fair, but that was short-lived as knee issues and a growing feud with coach Marv Levy would see him cast out of Buffalo just before they made their four Super Bowl run. Carter was less durable, but had more notable success and kept more quiet than Smerlas(who admittedly was highly entertaining and probably more fun to be around). Another fun fact; he has a daughter named Michelle... who won a Gold Medal at the Shot Put at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Small world, eh? Starting Right Defensive End: Bruce Smith- 1989 -6'4 262. Buffalo Bills: 1985-99/ Washington Redskins: 2000-03https://i.pinimg.com/736x/2c/95/c7/2c95c7e0908427bcac50c741ca58c8d7.jpg Be honest, if you were looking at a guy who is the career leader in sacks and only has 260 pounds on his frame, you'd think he's either playing on a 4-3 or he's a rushbacker. But he was truly a DL on a 3-4... and believe it or not, that was his real playing weight. At least after his rookie season, when he ate entire buffet lines and probably one of the training staff. That's when he became a fitness nut to the point of obsession. He had the same kind of frightening blend of power and speed as Reggie did, but was arguably superior in terms of run discipline. That and the sack numbers are slightly masked by the formation Buffalo used on defense, which was 3-4 but used certain outside linebackers(Cornelius Bennett, Bryce Paup) as almost de facto defensive ends in certain moments. In fact, they would put a hand down on the dirt and have One Gap responsibilities, and when lined up next to them, so would Smith. He was moved around a bit, and he did have more technical roles from time to time, but it's worth noting that Smith will have to learn a purely two-gap system and instead of LT(as if this is a spoiler!) taking some pressure off Bruce, Bruce will have to take pressure off LT. That's fine. Bruce is still an exceptional run defender for his size and expected skills. That and even if he's playing a more secondary role to LT, he'll be gifted a lot of one-on-one situations to exploit. Starting Left Outside Linebacker: Andre Tippett- 1985 -6'3 240. New England Patriots: 1982-88, 1990-93http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/pg-photo/2009/01/12/09000d5d80e12c4b/1985-afc-wild-card-playoff-game-new-england-patriots-vs-new-york-jets_pg_600.jpg No, LT played on the right side of the defense. Stop loading those shotguns and tying those nooses. The theory goes that if you have a World-Class rushback on the offense's blind side, you should have an exceptional coverage LB on the strong side. The thing is, linebackers had not really advanced all that much. From a physical standpoint, it was the pass rushers that were the most athletically developed as a QB sack was far more disruptive to an opposing passing attack than any standard pass deflection. Anyone short of that athletic ideal in terms of mobility, length, and strength... well, you could consider them coverage LBs but the truth is they're not the first option. Paradoxially, the traits that made the rushbackers so feared so made them technically the best options to cover receivers in the open. I'll give you an example. There was a linebacker named John Anderson who played for the Green Bay Packers through the 1980's, retiring after the '89 season. He played entirely on the left(strong) side, while the opposite edge was occupied by better-known pass rushers, such as Mike Douglass(early 80's) and Tim Harris(late 80's). By far he leads linebackers in interceptions for the decade with 20(25 altogether), with only one other linebacker reaching 15. As far as sacks go he only collected 19 and a half. He wasn't a rushbacker by any stretch of the imagination- if anything he was a bit player on the pass rush scene. He was more a textbook linebacker in the 4-3 mold, dependable against the run and covering tight ends. The problem is apart from Kellen Winslow and Ozzie Newsome, the tight ends of the era had yet to develop the kind of breakaway skills that would make them nigh-unstoppable against linebackers. You had receiver types like Todd Christensen, Paul Coffman, and so on, but they weren't especially speedy. That suited the likes of Anderson, whose athleticism was rock solid, but never spectacular. If he was effortlessly blanketing the likes of Winslow or even a running back like Tony Dorsett, you would've heard something about the guy and he'd have had more accolades beyond the dubious vote for him for the Hall of Fame 80's All-Decade Team. So, no, you want pass rushers at this spot even with LT on the roster, if only because their athletic potential is far greater and there's no guarantee the Aliens are not above the NFL standards of the time. Plus, having two legit threats on the rush adds to the unpredictability and overwhelming power of your unit. Andre Tippett of New England and Rickey Jackson of New Orleans were the primary candidates due to their all-around skills as well as their exceptional pass rush. Jackson might be the better of the two in pass coverage, but Tippett was fundamentally sound. Tippett was also superior in run defense(perhaps better than LT), and at his peak was only a half-step shy of LT as a rushbacker. Fans of his would argue that he did more with less and it was only the favorable coverage and championships that placed LT above Andre. Tippett's prowess in the trenches comes from his Martial Arts background. By that I mean the 'Genuine Discipline and Honor' type of Martial Arts and not the "Kick [BLEEP] and win trophies" type. He took to the arts since he was twelve, became a black belt(seventh-level, I think), operated his own karate school, and has continued to train for years under Karate Masters. He used those skills to fend off blocks and tackle ball carriers in the NFL. Here's a full blog on this subject that explains this far better than I could; https://www.maiahub.com/blog/zero-to-hero-the-extraordinary-life-of-pro-football-s-karate-master-andre-tippett Alright, Elephant in the room; can Tippett play alongside LT? On the field, sure. Tippett's significantly better than Carl Banks, the first genuine outside partner LT had. Off the field's a bit dicier, if only because these two are seemingly polar opposites in terms of discipline and they competed heavily for accolades during their careers. The only real on-field hang-up is that Tippett played the left perhaps exclusively. He'll be expected to occasionally switch to the weak side. Starting Left Inside Linebacker: Mike Singletary- 1985(Off-Position) -6'0 230. Chicago Bears: 1981-92http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/undated-linebacker-mike-singletary-of-the-chicago-bears-looks-on-a-picture-id202937?s=612x612 Surely the guy known as "Samurai Mike" would make this roster regardless, despite the different defensive formation, but what really solidifies his place in the starting lineup is his pass coverage. No, it's not exceptional, just average. Thing is, for just about any linebacker on the inside NOT named Jack Lambert, average at covering receivers was about the best that could be expected in this decade. If I had to chalk it up to a reason, it was the increasing usage of 3 WR and 4 WR sets. You can't expect a linebacker to adequately cover a legit wideout. The response by defenses was to increase their usage of Nickel and Dime personnel, which had to take away players from other positions. Typically, it was the linebackers that were switched out for more secondary players, leaving to the scarcity of three-down ILBs in the league(unless you moved them up to the line on passing downs as extra rushers). A secondary problem existed in the 3-4, and that was enhanced run responsibility. 4-3 Linebackers were on average called upon for the short-to-middle passing game and cleaning up what was left of the run game after the DL was done, because the DL had four men to contain the run. In a 3-4, there were only three, not counting the flanking outside linebackers. If the opposing team ran inside, the outside support didn't matter. ILBs in a 3-4 had to be stouter against the run as a result, leaving them sorta diminished against the pass. It's a problem that largely still exists today(or maybe not; I'm a Packer fan, so it's been a sore point for the past decade). But back to Mike. He's somewhat undersized for the 3-4, but he was also undersized for the 4-3. He was protected thanks to the '46', which crowded the blockers and left him on an island to roam and impose his will. This Giants 3-4 isn't that much different from the '46' apart from not overstacking the Tight End on the strong side, compensating by having overpowering defenders nearly everywhere in front of him. It helps that he was the spiritual descendant of Butkus when it came to intimidation and force. The sight of his big ol' bug eyes and his bulging cheeks on every play would make you laugh until he hit you and then afterwards you tried not to soil your pants. The lone drawback is that while he's a Leader-Type in every sense of the word, he's not the 'Leader' of this unit. That goes to... Starting Right Inside Linebacker: Harry Carson- 1986 -6'2 237. New York Giants: 1976-88https://c8.alamy.com/comp/BWR4EE/harry-carson-new-york-giants-53-defensive-linebacker-during-an-nfl-BWR4EE.jpg How much did the Giants value Carson as a leader? https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/former-green-bay-packers-hall-of-fame-defensive-end-willie-davis-the-picture-id80685173 That's the Super Bowl Coin Toss. There are five Denver Broncos(Carson claimed there were nine). And only one New York Giant. Has any team since only sent one representative to such a momentous occasion? Comparing his leadership style to Singletary is like comparing ice to fire. Under the right circumstances, there's some potential for a Yin-Yang situation; Mike fires up the unit when it is down, and Harry calms down the unit when it is stoked up. But ultimately, it's Harry that calls the shots. In terms of gameplay skills, Carson's an all-out run stuffer and a solid complementary dogger(blitzer). In fact, he's probably better rated for this task than Mike(he's got two inches and seven pounds and knows the system). Pass defense is a concern; In SB XXI, the Giants reverted to Nickel and Dime on passing downs quite a bit. Gary Reasons was the first guy to be switched out, either by a DB or by backup ILB Thomas "Pepper" Johnson. Carson would be the second guy switched out for Dime personnel. The Giants default seems to have been to just use the secondary to blanket the wideouts and live with the results from there; it helped that by that time LT and Carl Banks were excellent enough to play 'tweener'-type roles in those formations, so the inside wasn't totally abandoned. I should mention one other thing; Carson has become absolutely vocal about CTE and the like, to the point where he admittedly regrets his career in football. Better not let the past and future cross paths. Starting Right Outside Linebacker: Lawrence Taylor- 1986 -6'3 237. New York Giants: 1981-93https://i1.wp.com/assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2031262.1417584500!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_750/top50-3s-17-web.jpg Do I really have to explain this one? The hardest thing to deal with will be the coke. That's no slander, LT has admitted this. He took cocaine as early as his second year in the league and had a rampant drug problem that didn't get "shelved" until he had two strikes against him by '88, but went straight to haitch-eee-double-hockey-sticks after he retired. He would dodge drug testing by using the urine of other teammates. It's likely- especially the way he played- that he played while dusted to the eyeballs. That said, his production didn't decline after the second strike in '88, so there's hope that he can be kept sober for such a vital game. Everybody knows his skills as a pass rusher- shoot, every Outside Linebacker is a pale imitation of him these days- but he was a bit underrated as a run defender and a pass defender. He had excellent athletic gifts and ungodly instincts and those worked to such great effect that he could respond to things happening even if he wasn't in proper position. There are highlights where Taylor rushes the QB at full sprint, turns around after the pass is made to an RB making the safety valve catch, and runs the RB down with only scant yardage gained. In the 80's LT simply wasn't Human. In fact, the Aliens might claim he's really one of them passed down to earth like Superman and try to have him play on their team. Starting Left Cornerback: Lester Hayes- 1983 -6'0 200. Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders: 1977-86https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/football-super-bowl-xv-oakland-raiders-lester-hayes-on-sidelines-on-picture-id113122403 Heh, sorry. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1a/b3/a7/1ab3a7b8a9a97d5c32ee5402a4712b52.jpg But that first image though. There's a reason we harped about Fred Biletnikoff using stickum but the eventual rule that outlawed stickum became known as the "Lester Hayes" rule. That picture seriously looks like he was practicing Animal Husbandry with an Elephant. Fred would slather his forearms and legs, but Lester would get it just all over his body. He could jam a receiver at the line of scrimmage and just stand there for the rest of the play because the poor fool trying to run from him was stuck to the spot!... Okay, I'm kidding on the last part, but you have to admit, you think of stickum and you wonder why something like that hasn't shown up in an NFL Films blooper reel. Lester claimed he used stickum to prolong his bump-and-run coverage, but the man was a former college linebacker and hit like one. No, the tar worked wonders on his hands- he caught twice as many interceptions pre-ban than post-ban. But... I will give him his due. He came back to a high level of performance without stickum, so he can't be ignored here. But seriously, that picture on top of the nickname "Lester the Molester". Just... just no. The Giants around the time of their Super Bowl win and beyond did run a Zone Coverage scheme as far as their secondary was concerned. Most teams did. That said, this is an adaptive unit that should be able to play both ways. Hayes and his eventual partner on the right corner(more on him later) preferred man coverage. If they can cooperate on some zone aspects from time to time, this shouldn't be a problem. Hayes played like an old school disruptor who jammed passing lanes and screwed with accurate timing between QB and wideout. He was also an excellent reader and had a free reign to freelance off of his man if he saw the play was going to go elsewhere- the freelancing might be an issue with Belichick, but Lester was usually right. That and his obsession with Star Wars led his teammates to nickname him "Jedi". Thankfully Return of the Jedi already came out by the time Hayes is snatched up by us, so no worries off the field. He was also openly brash and talkative during the games, but was hardly a calamitous presence off the field. If anything, he has enough of a combative personality to fit in with an intense defense. Starting Strong Safety: Kenny Easley- 1984 Secondary Positions: Punt Returner(Alternate) -6'3 206. Seattle Seahawks: 1981-87https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2015%2F0416%2Fmag_easley001_RW_1296x729.jpg They called him "The Enforcer", and he's really the 1980's version of Kim Chancellor. Or, if you prefer, Kim Chancellor was the 2010's version of Kenny Easley. He hit at an elite level, but he was a sure tackler and a high quality ball hawk with a fantastic closing ability. Athletically, he's among the elites(enough so that he started to do punt returns in '84 and was quite capable in that extra job). The two main things about Kenny that cement his starting spot are how highly he's rated by Ronnie Lott(Lott considered Easley to be the standard to aspire to), and the fact that he was technically out of position for his NFL Career. See, he was a Free Safety at UCLA, but it was his size that convinced the Seahawks to move him to Strong Safety, where he could stick it to bigger receivers and tight ends. He did the job, he was certainly a team player, but you only had to watch Seahawks games during the 80's to understand Kenny was a Ball Hawk in the Free Safety mold. I like that; Strong Safeties excellent enough in coverage that they could switch over with no loss in performance. Belichick will greatly enjoy that as well; he has no apparent weaknesses in his secondary thanks to Kenny. His career was cut short from unusual circumstances; a pre-'88 trade to the Phoenix Cardinals was nullified because he failed the team physical due to a kidney ailment, one that was actually life threatening had it not been diagnosed. Kenny blamed it on the advil prescribed to him while recovering from an ankle injury a couple of seasons before, and for fifteen years completely walked away from the sport, finally returning in '02 when Seattle inducted him into their Ring of Honor. The start of that whole problem is a little iffy... could be '85, could be '86. I'm relatively sure it didn't start around the end of the '84 season though, and that's a good thing because that was his peak year in terms of performance. Starting Free Safety: Ronnie Lott- 1989 -6'0 203. San Francisco 49ers: 1981-90/ Los Angeles Raiders: 1991-92/ New York Jets: 1993-94https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/football-san-francisco-49ers-ronnie-lott-in-action-after-making-vs-picture-id81447582?s=594x594 Listen. I could talk to you about how good of a ballhawk Ronnie is, how hard Ronnie could hit, the fact that he started out as a cornerback and was All-Pro level there before shifting over to Free Safety, how his anticipation was uncanny, how he took his leadership to the extent that he would challenge Bill Walsh if things seemed wrong, how his game lacked virtually no holes other than the nitpick of "maybe he could be an inch or two taller..." ...Ronnie Lott broke his pinky finger near the end of the '85 season. In April he was looking at an operation that would delay his arrival to the team, and he would miss out on the start of the '86 season. Instead, he voluntarily had the broken part of his pinky amputated. Just so he wouldn't miss any time. It's not something he's proud of. In fact, after the amputation, he had a rather ugly episode of "why did I do this?", and to this day, it's something he has regrets over. Fans naturally raved about the decision, but that's in the context of "Our Star player won't miss time and we'll keep winning!" Sad and pitiful, but true. It doesn't really affect his selection here; even without the incident, Lott is still the top of the Free Safety ladder. But it is a good indication of the Foxhole Mentality he brought to the game. You've probably heard the term here and there. It sounds ridicuously pretentious, equating an athlete to a soldier fighting for his life. But there's no other way to put it. It's the same sort of mentality that makes certain players rise up to insurmountable challenges, whether you're making a hellacious comeback against a superior opponent or you're trying to close out a tight-knit hard-fought contest in the final moments. It's what makes the subject of clutch almost a tangible commodity to be mocked only by the clueless who only understand skills through Madden Ratings. And... if we're looking at an invasion where the only hope of winning is through a Football Game... then, yeah, everyone's gonna be in those Foxholes. Starting Right Cornerback: Mike Haynes- 1984 -6'2 192. New England Patriots: 1976-82/ Los Angeles Raiders: 1983-89https://nflpastplayers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Mike_Haynes_intercepts_against_Seattle_Seahawks.jpg?x48081 Mike Haynes and Lester Hayes were partners in the same secondary for three and a half seasons. In '83 Hayes was still plugging along with the Raiders, but Haynes was undergoing a contract holdout with the Patriots. He wanted more money. This was a typical problem with the Patriots, but this was probably the first holdout that started to miss games. Around that season Lester had a premonition, he imagined Mike Haynes wearing number 22 for the Silver and Black. Lo and behold, Al Davis generates a last-minute trade with the Patriots(technically saved because a Monday Night Football game ended just after Midnight, extending the trade deadline) to acquire the services of Haynes. The number on his jersey? 22. Even better, he preceded the Patriots to the Super Bowl by two years, winning SB XXIII with the Raiders. Alas, he didn't play in enough regular season games to have the '83 year qualify, so Haynes has to be taken a year later. In terms of skills Mike's sort of the antithesis of Lester. He still plays Bump and Run, and he's good at it, but he's not the hammer Lester is. He'll disrupt the timing and glide step for step with the receiver, and for his time no other corner was better at that. He was glorious when it came to closing on and catching up with receivers, and he had really good lift for his position. As a teammate put it, "If he's within four yards of a receiver, he's basically covered." His hands were extremely adept; enough so that he could play wide receiver. In fact, it's what he wanted to do, but starting in Arizona State, something would always come up and Mike would just stay in that secondary and catch the ball better than the wideouts he was covering. The same issues concerning Lester Hayes in Zone Coverage apply here. And like Hayes, the solution is two-fold; Belichick adapts to a mosty man-cover scheme, and Haynes comes back a little and adapts to some zone concepts. The Bench: Once again, 23 remaining spots, with two outright specialists. Placekicker: Nick Lowery- 1988 Secondary Positions: Kickoffs(Primary) -6'4 215. New England Patriots: 1978/ Kansas City Chiefs: 1980-93/ New York Jets: 1994-96https://imageproxy.themaven.net/https:%2F%2Fimages.saymedia-content.com%2F.image%2Ft_share%2FMTU5ODQxNDgyNzU2OTkwMTA5%2Fnicklowery2.jpg You can officially say goodbye to the moonlighters. Apart from Danny White, all kickers and punters are pure specialists. This was largely true in the 70's, yes, but the side-effect has started to show its face in this decade. You can't miss a bunch of field goals or have a weak leg and still have a job the next week because you contribute heavily on offense or defense anymore; now you have to constantly deliver at rates that will climb towards automatic every year. The weather cannot matter; wind, rain, snow, sunshine, foul blasphemies to the football gods(I.E. Domes). Neither can the playing field. Grass or turf or dirt infield. You can't hit the mark on any one of those categories, well, your team will look for someone that will. The widespread inclusion of artificial turf creates a conundrum for this decade; none of the best kickers hail from a purely grass playing field. That just means we'll be forced to look at a turf kicker who has experience on grass or just plain outdoors. Our two main competitors for the spot fit this problem, and each comes with their own quirks. Morten Andersen was what you'd probably call a "dome babby", being that it wasn't until the 21st century came around that his home team played outdoors. Three of his twenty-five years were spent outdoors at home, the rest were domes. That probably helped with his accuracy and in certain situations his leg power, but even in his peak years he still made efficient stats when outside. What Morten had is an elite leg; He will be the third NFL kicker in 1991 to reach 60 yards(or more) on a Field Goal, and he was hands down the best kickoff specialist of his time. He forced lots of touchbacks and generally took away the return game for opponents. Other kickers could do the same, but not with his consistency. Nick Lowery kicked outdoors at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, so he had weather to factor for at home games. The surface was turf, and wouldn't change to grass until the next decade, but the playing field had a little bit of a 'crown'. Basically it wasn't perfectly flat but had a slight rise in the middle- this was meant to drain the stadium during thunderstorms. Clearly it passed muster for NFL Games, but that's still a slight handicap for Nick. The good news is it didn't seem to shake his accuracy outside of home, which is a good thing because Nick was one of the most proficient kickers of his era. He didn't have Andersen's leg, but he could reach 50+ yards and he wasn't weak at all on kickoffs. A look at their 'peak years', most notably 1985, led to a brief worry. Both of them got their long range kicks out of their system early on in the year, and their late-season accuracy was perfect, meaning they were literally trying from reduced ranges. It probably wasn't leg fatigue; more like it was a cautionary thing late in the season. But that on top of their scant playoff records... thankfully I found '88 Lowery, who didn't make the playoff that year either but did kick 50 yarders late in the season while outdoors in cold conditions. That was good enough for me. (Note: I know the weather conditions at our chosen stadium will be optimal, because we'll choose optimal- the nutcase who could choose a driving hurricane to play in should be executed on the spot. The problem is... what if that choice isn't given to us and we're stuck with blind fate or worse, the mercy of the aliens? This is ultimately- and if I'm honest, retroactively- the reason why you want kickers who aren't coddled by domes.) P.S. Both are foreigners. Andersen is Danish, and took up the sport on a lark when he got to college. Lowery was born in West Germany(yes, that country used to be divided) and moved to the states from London when he was in the eighth grade. Punter: Reggie Roby- 1987 -6'3 249. Miami Dolphins: 1983-92/ Washington Redskins: 1993-94/ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1995/ Houston/Tennessee Oilers: 1996-97/ San Francisco 49ers: 1998https://i.pinimg.com/564x/a4/38/d2/a438d2d3822a42803f10b4afb0e4e42f.jpg By now the transition is complete. The punting game is now defined by hang time and preventing returns by forcing fair catches. That sounds like favorable odds for Ray Guy, who made the 70's team on his strengths in those categories and absolutely does qualify for this decade as well. Alas, all the other potential skills Guy brought to the table were phased out, and soon enough many other punters were replicating his game. Roby wasn't just the best at replicating and improving his game, he also idolized Guy, got snubbed by him the first time he got a chance to meet him, then dedicated his career to surpassing him. Sometimes the stories just write themselves. Roby was an odd bird in that he was dedicated to the idea of punting even as a child- practicing by booting a ball back and forth over his house. He wasn't all that fond of running. This is gonna sound hellaciously racist, but nobody would read that and think Roby was anything but ivory-white, but he was black. It wasn't as if he wasn't athletic; he had a great size and frame, big enough to be a linebacker, and had an arm strong enough to play QB in High School and get drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in baseball(as a pitcher). But as a punter, he was entirely self-taught and in a class by himself. Self-taught might've been part of the initial problem, as Roby was left to his own devices at Iowa(which worked out great for the Hawkeyes because they rode strong defenses and Roby's leg throughout his time there) and initially lacked the maturity to take instruction at the NFL level. It took an embarrassing performance at SB XIX against the 49ers to start opening him up to instruction. Roby's leg was a howitzer already, but he added some technical polish. Prior to his arrival in the NFL, punters typically took about three steps during the process of their punts. Roby shortened that to two. That doesn't sound like much, but you'd be surprised at how short a punter's window really is before defenders can close on him for a block. His foot also contacted the ball at a vastly different spot compared to most punters, who would let the ball drop almost to foot level and use the propellant of their leg lifting upward as a sort of catapult. Roby's foot connected around waist-level, but a combination of leg size(he's seriously built like a linebacker from the legs down) and an incredible flexibility(ever lift your leg until it's parallel to your chest and you could scratch your ear with your big toe? He could) gave him the propellant needed for his liftoffs. Even better, he did it without leaping; punters typically swing their legs with a hop during the follow through for greater force. Roby's balance leg was always firmly planted on the ground. And yes, he did wear a watch to measure his hang-time. The surprising thing(or perhaps not) was that Roby progressed through his career doing less and less of what he could because of his value as a punter. He was a QB in high school, and had a strong arm, but was never used as a passer(not until 1995 for a single 48-yard gain). He wasn't athletically limited, but he wasn't used as a runner(the only time he was ever involved in a fake punt run was in '97, in a clip that just recently got some mention in NFL circles). He was also the Kickoff guy at Iowa and would routinely put the ball through the uprights for touchbacks- he would never be used in that same capacity in the pros. I am also fairly certain he was instructed not to get in the way during returns, as this was still the time when the specialists were wimps and could shatter like glass if they tried a hard tackle.. or so the perception went. Now, would this team try to use Roby in other ways? Would they try some actual fakery with Roby's arm or legs? Would they entertain the notion of using Roby as a kickoff guy to freeze out the aliens' return game? With Belichick it might've been possible. With Crennel and the occasional whisper from Belichick... there'd be a slight chance. Consider this a dark horse possibility. Backup Quarterback: Steve Young- 1989(Backup QB Exception) -6'2 215. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1985-86/ San Francisco 49ers: 1987-99https://nfllistsblog.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/steve-young-ftr-e1430813313461.jpg?w=736 We touched upon Steve Young in Montana's section. He was discarded for a while when looking purely at the stat numbers; he didn't play in enough games in '85 to qualify for that year, which left him just short of qualified years. Of course, QB is the one position where you can't guarantee 'backup' duty in the game, unless he doubles as the holder for kicks. With that in mind you have to give the restrictions some slight leeway. The '85 Buccaneers had Steve DeBerg(who interestingly enough preceded Joe Montana in San Fran) as the primary starter, but they also had a guy named Alan Risher, who never threw a single pass that season but held for kicks. Young was seen on the sidelines as early as week 5 that season... so we'll give him the qualification honors with a special 'exception' label. This turned out to be a godsend because Young just about solves every problem these teams have when it comes to choosing a Backup QB. Having been in San Francisco for three years, Young knows the system good enough to run it. His physical skills with his arm and his legs are still excellent. '89 Young is light-years ahead of '85 Young from a mental perspective, and has shown in brief stretches of spot-starts that he can run the West Coast Offense with actual success on the gridiron. Also, the brief competitive problem between Montana and Young ended late in the '88 season, so the pecking order is firmly established(not that he wants to hold a clipboard on the sidelines). The only thing he lacks is any sort of starting record in the playoffs, much less the Super Bowls. In the end, I decided that I wanted Young's familiarity with the system and athletic potential more than rolling the dice with someone who may not mesh well(and to be fair, in the past decades no team we've inherited the offensive template from has had a backup QB of Young's caliber. The closest was Tobin Rote for the 50's and he was more an established starter getting buried on a stronger depth chart). Again, Young's a southpaw and that'll raise some havoc when it comes to the offensive line. Jackie Slater(who always blocked for right-handers) might be slightly exposed if he has to block Young's blindside in a key game. Backup Running Back: William Andrews- 1983 -6'0 206. Atlanta Falcons: 1979-83, 1986https://i.pinimg.com/736x/a4/d3/94/a4d394d6995f0b0b2448d717e44ad306--running-football.jpg Funny thing about the 49ers; they used two running backs in their system, but those two were used like workhorses. You rarely saw the backups sub either of them out. It worked so long as they stayed healthy, but we can't afford that risk. What we ultimately want is a runner who can catch and block and play either position on the field, and yes, contribute as a blocker on special teams. In short, an all-purpose back without any apparent holes in his game. That's quite the tall order, since we've already got two of the best that fit that bill already in Payton and Craig, and at this point all that's left of the elites are the guys who just carried the rock all day... with one exception. Unless you're a fanatical Falcons fan who was born in the days of Nixon, you probably don't remember Andrews. His career was more brief than that of Dwight Stephenson, but no less bright and explosive. The best comparison is Earl Campbell, as he had the same sort of power in hitting tacklers and turning on the jets, but he complemented that power and burst with secondary skills. He was a far superior receiver to Campbell, and was a competent blocker, and since Atlanta used a two-RB system that utilized both backs, this included lead blocking. He ran low, giving everyone the shoulder and could absolutely rock defenders. Ronnie Lott was asked once what was the hardest hit he took, he replied that it came from Andrews in an '82 game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yKv9_fFNhk Andrews catches a screen pass and Lott is zeroing in on him and he just trucks him. Then he bounces off of four different 49er defenders at once and hits the afterburners until Eric Wright hops on his back and hauls him down. Forget Campbell, that's a run worthy of Beast Mode. Ultimately, it was nerve damage from a knee injury in the '84 preseason that ended his career. He came back in '86 after two years off and played enough to qualify for the decade, but he clearly wasn't the same and chose to retire than be a has-been on the gridiron. '83 Andrews is as good as he's ever gonna be. We'll have him as a blocker on special teams, but this team's just gonna have to carve out some touches for him on offense. Payton and Craig should be able to oblige him. Backup Running Back: Mosi Tatupu- 1985 -6'0 227. New England Patriots: 1978-90/ Los Angeles Rams: 1991http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2010/0224/boston_u_tatupu_400.jpg This spot came down to Tatupu or Ron Wolfley of the Cardinals. The two were basically demons on special teams, covering kicks and blocking for returners. I couldn't pick both because the WCO seems to prefer tight ends to extra fullbacks. Ultimately, two factors led to Tatupu's selection; He was a far more experienced running back(Wolfley was little more than a blocker on offense), and he was a Personal Protector on Punts. In case I didn't explain this in the last decade with MacArthur Lane, I'll go into some detail; a Personal Protector is the last line of blocking defense on Punts. In a normal punt formation with gunners stretched out, he's the only other guy in the backfield with the punter. He's the one who has to make split decisions over which rusher he needs to hold off until the punt is made. The role doesn't allways go to a fullback, or even any kind of running back; tight ends and linebackers and safeties have been known to take on this responsibility. Having one double as a rock solid Upback for returns and a decent tackler on coverage units is a significant bonus(the Core ST players will typically have to fill multiple roles on these units to make this team). '85 and '86 gave Tatupu the most renown as a Special Teamster(and his team made the Super Bowl in '85), but the prior years were when he was still a consistent part of the RB rotation, and produced at levels that would be considered reasonable. Still, by '85 Craig James(a highly regarded SMU guy who played in the same College Backfield as Eric Dickerson and spent time in the USFL) had arrived and that greatly reduced Mosi's workload on offense. He should still be a decent runner and receiver though. Backup Wide Receiver: Steve Largent- 1984 -5'11 187. Seattle Seahawks: 1976-89http://thesportsfanjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/001305090.jpg Like at Running Back, we need an understudy here, someone who can step in and replace either Rice or Lofton if need be. Someone who can reliably run precise routes and catch everything thrown to him. Largent narrowly missed out on the #2 spot, but nobody overtakes him for #3. Look at a picture of him, and you think he's a Wes Welker type; undersized, not especially speedy, meant to be put in the slot and work underneath in the middle. I made the same mistake once upon a time. Turns out Steve played the outside game, and got by more athletic defenders through a sneaky sort of quickness and the best route running you ever saw. Excellent footwork, excellent brain, did not slow down in the route, had the greatest pair of hands(no gloves, or stickum- as far as we know, just bare skin). There's a reason Jerry Rice idolized him(and still does). On top of that, he has a personality about as wholesome as a glass of milk, apart from one incident. 1988 season, opening day. Largent gets knocked out on a route by a Denver Bronco named Mike Harden. Dirty hit(forearm shiver), combined with some trash talk after. Fast forward later in the season, a rematch at the Kingdome. Dave Krieg lofts a deep pass towards Bennie Blades on the left, headed for the end zone. Harden, playing safety, zeroes in and makes the interception. He takes the ball out and advances downfield, cutting across the center towards his left in order to find daylight. He's forced to divert towards the sideline to dodge another Seahawk, which is bad news for him because forward progress has been temporarily stopped. That's when this silver missile streaks in on Harden's flank and smacks him off his feet and makes that poor [BLEEP] fly several yards further before he lands, without the ball. The missile? Largent. The hit? Perfectly legal shoulder tackle. He even scoops up the fumble. Then he talks smack to Harden afterwards. That's one of the better vindication stories in NFL History. As far as playing a role on offense goes, at the bare minimum Steve is on the field for 4 WR sets. 3 WR sets are slightly questionable due to the presence of Kellen Winslow, who has the mobility to play wide as a 3rd receiver. It probably stands to reason that there are certain situations that justify playing Largent over Winslow. No matter what, Steve can't be the focus of the defense thanks to the primary weapons(Rice, Lofton, etc.), which helps because he can be corralled by a bracketed defense with safety assistance(as Miami in the '83 playoffs demonstrated). Backup Wide Receiver: Willie Gault- 1985 Secondary Positions: Kick Returner(Primary) -6'0 181. Chicago Bears: 1983-87/ Los Angeles Raiders: 1988-93https://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/60/files/2014/07/willie-gault2.jpg Alright, returners. If you wanted to be serious about this, you would need at the bare minimum 2 KR and 1 PR. If you are fortunate, you can kind a single player that fields both kinds, reducing your need to two returners overall. The positions these returners play is not set in stone, but it's typically wide receivers and defensive backs, sometimes running backs. One would think that the return slots can be inhabited by two receivers, and if this was a roster where we'd have more tha four WR, I could openly consider that. Alas, we needed an understudy in Largent, so we can only afford to place one returner here. We also can't load up two defensive backs for these roles because there are other vital roles that the secondary depth will play on special teams, and we simply can't afford to shelve aside two slots there. Running back is a similar story, except we needed an understudy in Andrews and an Up-Back sort of player on Special Teams in Tatupu. If that wasn't infuriating enough, the vast majority of wide receivers in this decade were solely punt returners. If they ever returned kicks, it was once in a blue moon, and usually they didn't look effective doing it. A handful of receivers returned kicks, and out of that small pool, Gault checks the most boxes. Willie was a world-class sprinter with a somewhat checkered history- Not for doing anything wrong, but for having outside events conspire to keep him out of the Olympics. He would've been part of the '80 Olympic Team had the United States not boycotted the event. As late as '83 he was still a significant player in the world of track but was ultimately forced out of it when his team gave an ultimatum; give up track or forget about being signed. Eligibility rules were lessened leading up to the '88 Olympics, but fascinatingly he ended up being an alternate to the Bobsledding team as opposed to track. Shoot, even in his fifties Gault was still a force to be reckoned with on a sprint. Track and Field was his first love, make no mistake, but out of the wideouts who were track stars during this decade- outside of James Lofton- Gault had the best football skills. It's far from a perfect fit. Gault's a deep vertical type, which is an antithesis of the WCO in general. Granted, the presence of guys like Jerry Rice and John Taylor led to the 49ers hitting more deep kill shots in the late 80's than before, but it still wasn't an offense that deliberately went for that. Jim McMahon's autobiography makes several insinuations about Gault; that he was somewhat soft over the middle and could hear footsteps, that his hands were suspect, that he wasn't fully motivated unless the game was Nationally Televised. Granted, Gault was a rather vain dude during that time, and nobody was raving about Gault being fearless down the middle, but lets be honest; every receiver you could find returning kicks had that problem. Willie's just the fastest of them with the most polish of his skills(bonus demerits for being a principal instigator for the infamous Super Bowl Shuffle). As a returner, he's only done it full-time twice; in '83 and '85. '85 was his best year at that, but that was still him moonlighting; he was the primary vertical threat for Chicago's offense after all. In a significantly reduced role, he likely wouldn't see the field on offense unless it was an End-of-Game Hail Mary play, meaning he'd be reduced to just return work. That said, the games are Nationally Televised(Worldwide, in fact!) so that might solve the claim of motivation. A quick note; people might look at Gault's return stats in the playoffs and conclude that he laid a big fat egg on the biggest stages. The truth was he just didn't get any real opportunities. The Bears were the first team to register back-to-back shutouts in the Playoffs. He got some opportunities in the Super Bowl, but the Patriots had an excellent coverage unit. I mean, Gault would get hammered by uncovered Patriot defenders from out of nowhere on the footage. I don't think any of the other Kick Returning candidates could weather that kind of coverage. Backup Tight End: Hoby Brenner- 1985 -6'4 240. New Orleans Saints: 1981-93http://img.spokeo.com/public/900-600/hoby_brenner_1985_10_13.jpgBackup Tight End: Ed West- 1989 -6'1 250. Green Bay Packers: 1984-94/ Philadelphia Eagles: 1995-96/ Atlanta Falcons: 1997https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/ed-west-tight-end-for-the-green-bay-packers-is-tackled-by-eagles-picture-id778240259 The 49ers offense, late 80's especially, relied upon a 3 TE group. The formations typically only used one or none, sometimes two. Maybe three at the goal line. They would typically rotate the TE in given drives; a balanced type for all-around play, a catching type for receptions, and a blocking type. The initial aim was to replicate this same balance, and much of it hinged upon using Mark Bavaro as the "balanced" option. Alas, he didn't play enough games in '89 and failed to qualify. That really freaking stung. Looking at the available list of players, and seeing a lot of receiver-types in the upper echelon, the balanced plan was abandoned in favor of backing up Winslow with the two best blockers the position has to offer. Brenner and West were never All-Pros, much less elite talents. They refined their talents on the line in college(Brenner blocked for guys like Charles White and Marcus Allen at USC, West blocked for BO FREAKING JACKSON at Auburn), and proved they could handle NFL level defenders. Both were superior in-line blockers. Brenner's a bit more complete, more capable as a receiver(not enough to truly be a 'balanced' player, but enough to get the job done), while West was probably more athletic in terms of range and overall strength. Neither of the two were a question mark, much less a black mark, when it came to intangibles. They were hard-working veterans who didn't make noise over the opportunities they did or didn't get. Their versatility is likely limited to strict 'Y' blockers on the line(though this didn't stop the 49ers from using someone like John Frank as a wideout), but that's fine. They're subbed in primarily if extra strength on the line is needed, and they'll do yeoman's duty on Special Teams. Backup Tackle: Mike Kenn- 1980 -6'7 273. Atlanta Falcons: 1978-94http://leahcares.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/mike-kenn-1024x698.jpg The wish list for a typical backup tackle(and this will be true of the backup guard as well) basically involves the ability to play both sides of the line, and while actual legitimate experience on the opposite side of what position they typically played is a plus, it's not an ironclad requirement. The reason is anyone good enough to be considered will be set in stone at a specific spot for their careers, so the intelligence and athleticism required for the switch is a bit of an intangible. This decade requires a second wish, thanks to the presence of Steve Young; someone who could block the blind side for a southpaw. The actual track record of left-handed QBs in the NFL during this decade is a short one, Boomer Esiason and Jim Zorn topping the list aside from Young. Sadly, none of them took snaps alongside a firmly established and qualified Right Tackle. Harris Barton blocked for Montana and Young, but he came up short in years served. Joe Walter of Cincinnati was the only other tackle of any note, but he was just amongst the pack. So like the double-position requirement, this is an intangible that has to be fixed with potential and a lot of finger-crossing. The list came down to two people; Mike Kenn, and Tim Irwin of Minnesota. Now, Kenn is probably the greatest pass protector of the decade outside of Anthony Munoz, but Irwin has no such accolade. He was an all-around solid blocker for the Vikings, but his true value lies in Special Teams, where he partook as a blocker for returns and actually moonlit as a kick blocker(his height and wingspan helped tremendously). In short, he filled a different sort of niche. That said, Kenn's value as a pass blocker and his elite level of mobility and footwork took the cake. The only issue for Mike is a lack of bulk(he was almost drafted by the Green Bay Packers and converted to Tight End)- he got by on angle and leverage, making him a technician. That and his mobility will serve him well, as Special Teams may very well use him as a blocker on returns and he has an equal amount of height and wingspan to Irwin, meaning he could feasibly be added to the kick blocking units. Of extra note is the Goal Line Formations, where Kenn may have to hold down the Left Tackle spot, shifting Munoz to Tight End for those "Tackle Eligible" passes. So much finger-crossing involved with this guy. Backup Guard: Mike Munchak- 1989 -6'3 281. Houston Oilers: 1982-93https://i.pinimg.com/736x/38/d2/18/38d21836ed153ca17177b2a559910ba9--american-football-nfl-football.jpg Apart from the standard wish of being able to play both left and right, the additional requirement for this spot is an ability to stand in for FG/PAT attempts; that's because Bruce Matthews is the long snapper for those units, hence his spot at Right Guard is vacant in those times. The demands for the line still involve athleticism, and Munchak had been compared to John Hannah at his peak. He also played alongside Matthews during the heyday of Houston's Fun Bunch offense, so we know he has the athleticism to play San Francisco's scheme. There's a real chance Munchak may prove superior to Hannah in camp, which means he might be the starting Left Guard, relegating Hannah to the backup role. Munchak's one of those delightfully uncomplicated types, though that means interesting tidbits are scarce. About the few things about him come from his coaching career, such as the time when the Titans canned him not for terrible performance on the field, but for refusing to dismiss certain assistants. Or the time at Pittsburgh where he grabbed an opposing player by the hair in the playoffs. Backup Center: Randy Cross- 1988 -6'3 259. San Francisco 49ers: 1976-88https://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2016/08/169329228-san-francisco-49ers-vs-chicago-bears-1985-nfc-championship-768x514.jpg We could've gone with "Mike Cubed" by grabbing Mike Webster, but my suspicion is that he's already falling into the CTE pit at this time, and at any rate, we want a linemen who played in the 49ers blocking scheme and commanded it. Cross was probably the best blocker of the whole unit, and by the end of his career he had shifted over to Center from Guard. In truth, he had always been a hybrid- UCLA used him at multiple positions virtually in the same game. The size is a bit of an issue; by SB XXIII he was up to 265-ish but that's lean for offensive linemen, even centers in the late 80's. He was a strong blocker but he could get overpowered by an immediate bull rush. No matter, Walsh/Montana/etc. trust him explicitly and even if that size became a crippling weakness we have a few contingencies to rely upon should we need to keep the line big and beefy. Cross I'm fairly certain long snapped on FG and PAT, but his most notable moment there occurred in his last game in SB XXIII, where he botched a snap for a missed field goal, only for the commentator(Richard Enberg) to erroneously pin the snap on Chuck Thomas, the punting long snapper who was lined up next to Cross in the formation. Either way, we have a backup at long snapper should we need it. Backup Defensive End: Howie Long- 1985 -6'5 268. Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders: 1981-93https://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/long-drz-vault.jpg The useful phrase for Howie would be "Elite Utility". In short, Howie Long was one of the very best defensive linemen in the 80's, but in a star-studded group he fails to make the starting lineup. I suppose one could put him in Bruce Smith's spot if you wanted to nitpick, but in general he wasn't unseating Reggie and his primary spot was left end. I say 'primary' as if it meant something. It's true that Howie was a left end on the 1st, 2nd, and close range downs, but he would also shift inside, either as one of two tackles in a 'nickle' look or as the Nose Tackle in the Raiders' version of the '46'. And if that wasn't enough, he'd occasionally sub in at right end. Basically he's the Raiders version of a dynamo player, one who gets moved around all over the place to prevent opposing lines from keying on him, but he had more places he could be inserted into than most. That's a valuable asset as the backup linemen are probably expected to understand and cover for two or three positions. Howie not only was intelligent enough to cover for all three spots and a number of situations where he might have to play differently in said spots, said intelligence is probably great enough to understand the difference between Belichick's defense and the Raiders defense he belonged in, and get on the beam at a faster rate than most guys having to jump onto this team. As for the rest of his intangibles, Howie has one quirk that most superstars of his caliber lacked; massive self-depreciation. This was not a man who rested on his laurels because he always thought he wasn't doing good enough, and continued to think so until after he retired. There isn't going to be an ego problem with Howie being reduced to a substitute/kamikaze role because he'll kill himself in those roles to prove he belongs on the team. Backup Defensive End: Dan Hampton- 1985 -6'5 264. Chicago Bears: 1979-90https://i.pinimg.com/736x/4f/35/09/4f350999e3ebe464bbdb44ec204b5d39.jpg In retrospect, Dan's somewhat similar to Howie Long as far as versatility goes. He was primarily a defensive tackle in the overall 4-3 scheme, moved to left end to make way for the Fridge, William Perry(who sadly didn't offer enough basic value as a defender to get in as a 'gadget' player), but would shift into a sort-of Nose Tackle position in the 46(Reggie White had a similar role when Buddy Ryan took his 46 to Philadelphia). It's basically the same role Long plays, but both are so good regardless of where they line up that you can mix and match with them. They can alternate being the 'Jack-of-Trades replacement' and the 'Pass-Rushing Nose' throughout the game. Hampton's additional value has to do with his Kick Blocking; Dan Daly of the Pro Football Chronicle had him as the 'Designated Kick Blocker' of his All-80's Team. I'll take that on top of excellent play on the line. '85 Hampton didn't rack up the stat-sheet like in other years, but this was the year he acommodated Perry and moved to Left End midway through the season and still put in excellent effort on the field. Once more, no real drama or interesting tidbits, beyond his nickname "Danimal." Backup Nose Tackle: Joe Nash- 1989 -6'3 278. Seattle Seahawks: 1982-96https://i.pinimg.com/736x/28/eb/4a/28eb4acc668abb5fa57fcf900d8d3692.jpg Given that virtually all of our Defensive Ends are capable of shifting inside on passing downs, you'd probably want a Nose Tackle who can bulk up and replace Michael Carter in case of injury. That's not the direction I went in this case. Nash is admittedly more of a pass rusher than a run stopper(he's fine against the run for reference), and his weight isn't all that impressive('89 Nash is closer to 270 but '84 Nash was under 260), but Nash is more of a blue-collar guy who'll do his job and not complain, and he's also one of the better interior line kick blockers of the group. Putting him next to Dan Hampton and whomever might have the most potential gives that particular unit the best chance to succeed despite being unable to employ leapers behind the line anymore. Backup Linebacker: Wilber Marshall- 1985 -6'1 231. Chicago Bears: 1984-87/ Washington Redskins: 1988-92/ Houston Oilers: 1993/ Arizona Cardinals: 1994/ New York Jets: 1995http://brianedwardssports.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/wilber-marshall.png I had a look at the substitutions the Giants made in SB XXI against the Broncos, both on the Defensive Line and the Linebackers. The Line was rather straightforward, at best replacing their Nose Tackle in 3rd and long situations, and maybe the occasional play where a starter is subbed out for a play to catch his breath. The linebackers were a bit more surprising; only accounting for the base formation, the Giants had three ironclad starters(LT, Carl Banks, Harry Carson) and a fourth inside spot that was rotated around. Gary Reasons got the start, but would be switched out on a series-by-series basis with Pepper Johnson, and sometimes a guy named Andy Headen would be put there on the rare occasion when the defense tried to have a pass defender at ILB. In the event of a Nickel it would just be LT, Banks, and Carson. In a Dime it would just be LT and Banks. So, they had three complete linebackers and limited PT for the reserves, meaning the backups will have to be heavily involved in Special Teams to work up a sweat. I was initially unsure about Marshall, despite his pedigree as a lethal(the picture above is no freaking joke; the QB- Joe Ferguson- was so dismantled by the collision Marshall put on him that spectators thought he was dead) and all-around talent. It came down to where the heck would he play. Transitioning from a 4-3 to 3-4 and vice versa is more complicated than it looks- AJ Hawk's an excellent modern example; a 4-3 OLB who looked very dynamic when Green Bay ran the 4-3, he had to be converted to ILB in a 3-4 because he wasn't a pure rusher, and got lost in the shuffle as a result. In the case of Marshall, he was a 4-3 OLB who couldn't ultimately break this starting lineup(he wasn't enough of a rushbacker to unseat Tippett, he wasn't taking a spot from Samurai Mike or Harry Carson, and you can forget about him trying to overtake LT) and had questions about where he would play as a backup. The answer, surprisingly, was anything. Y'see, I operated under the idea that the '46' pigeon-holed him to the outside of the tight end at all times. Stupid in retrospect. It turns out that the Bears did operate in a standard 4-3 which placed Wilber in the proper place for his position. Even better, Wilber would actually slide over to MLB on third downs while Singletary went over to the sidelines. That's some fantastic versatility, and in only his second year in the league! He picked up on the intricacies of Buddy Ryan's system real quick, which offers a lot of promise that he'll pick up Belichick's system equally fast. As to skills, all-around excellence. He could rush the passer, he could lock down the run, he may have been the best pass coverage linebacker of the 80's. He lacked no holes. At the very minimum, Wilber's the defacto backup for both ILB positions, and perhaps he's good enough to be the principal backup for the OLB spots too. As for Special Teams, Marshall did partake in the Kickoff Coverage unit. It's plausible that he can do Punt Coverage and perhaps some return blocking as well. Marshall should've been a Bear for life. He became a pre-Free Agency Free Agent in '88 and the Redskins offered him a lucrative contract, only the Bears had the right to match the offer. They didn't, but the reason's not very forgivable. Y'see, Mike Singletary had a stipulation in his contract demanding that he be the highest paid defensive player on the roster, and he wasn't earning more than what Marshall's new contract would give, so his salary would be boosted as well, and that was just too much for the Bears to accept(one of several decisions that signified how they were never able to win another Super Bowl after '85). Washington then proceeded to limit Marshall in their more conservative system. They didn't use him to rush the passer, they took him off the field on third downs... they just wanted him to seal the run on his side. The Redskins won SB XXVI, but even so, it put a cap on Marshall's career. To this day he gets screwed; he was never even in the conversation for the Hall of Fame, and the Bears actually tried to renege on their defered contract to him after his playing days were over. Backup Linebacker: Carl Banks- 1986 -6'4 235. New York Giants: 1984-92/ Washington Redskins: 1993/ Cleveland Browns: 1994-95http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/carl-banks-of-the-new-york-giants-tackles-keith-byars-of-the-eagles-picture-id640158650?s=612x612 This is a designated backup rushbacker spot, though Banks is significantly more well-rounded than that. His role on the Giants defense placed him on top of the opposing Tight End, freeing LT to wreck havoc on the weak side. It worked because Banks was incredibly good at muscling those same tight ends to disrupt their routes and he was incredibly difficult to block so he was an expert run stuffer. He could rush the passer, and peaked around the time of SB XXI, and he was athletically gifted enough to make him a capable pass defender by default. His game in the scheme of things is complementary on an elite level, lacking any real holes. If you had him over on the weak side, or on any team without LT, Banks becomes properly rated and joins the conversation of who the best linebackers of the decade were. That said, there were a couple of contemporaries who were superior(Rickey Jackson for one), but Banks gets the nod because he knows the Giants system and Belichick is definitely in his corner. On defense he'll fill on at either outside linebacker spot. On Special Teams, his workload was much like Marshall; he took part in Kickoff Coverages, and could plausibly cover punts and block on returns. Backup Linebacker: Fredd Young- 1985 -6'1 233. Seattle Seahawks: 1984-87/ Indianapolis Colts: 1988-90https://i.pinimg.com/736x/9b/93/e0/9b93e0d06d218711bbdf31e830fe5e87.jpg Defensively, Young has just completed his first year as an Inside Linebacker. He spent his rookie season as an outside linebacker but wasn't a starter, and was moved inside because of his energetic play. His size was honesty normal for ILB but he wasn't quite as built-up in terms of muscle; he got by on speed and toughness. Even so he was out of the game within five years of becoming a starter due to being outmatched physically at a position that puts you in the trenches more often than not. Even so, he's serviceable should injuries occur. He would line up as a DE in Nickel formations, but that won't be necessary here. The real reason Young's on the team has to do with his Special Teams work. It was how he made his bones when he was left on the bench in his rookie year, and even after he finally got a starting job he still volunteered for it. Unlike Marshall and Banks, there's definitive proof he took part as a blocker in the return game, but true to form he was at his best as a cover man. He wasn't just fast but could hit like a cannon ball. A Monday Night Game in '84 against the Raiders proved this when Darryl "Dokie" Williams took a kickoff and advanced some yards before Young [BLEEP]SMACKED him into the concrete of the Kingdome. Williams, to his credit, remembered who he was a half hour later and held onto the ball, whereas a normal joe like you or I would've just flicked the "I die now" switch in our brains and let our corpse rot on the turf as an eternal memorial. Youtube smart[BLEEP]s proclaim that after this hit, Williams was nicknamed "Dookie". I'll let you figure that out on your own. Backup Linebacker: Steve DeOssie- 1988 Secondary Positions: Long Snapper(Punts) -6'2 248. Dallas Cowboys: 1984-88/ New York Giants: 1989-93/ New York Jets: 1993/ New England Patriots: 1994-95https://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/deossie-300x450.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=300&h=410&crop=1 Defensively, Steve's a solid run defender as an Inside Linebacker, additional insurance should there be injuries. In fact he would briefly become a starter for the Giants in such a role and go on to be a part of their championship team in '90. But really, he's here for his snapping. What Steve contributed to the realm of Long Snapping was his ability to snap the ball and rocket his upper body back up to engage defenders. His motion from snap to block was incredibly quick, he was stout and strong enough to hold his own, and his snaps were clearly proficient(because proficient in this case means you hear not a peep about them). In fact, that singular skill was enough for Dallas to spread out their punt formations. They didn't need to pack in their protection because Steve was that good at getting back up and stonewalling defenders. Teams tried rushing and overwhelming Steve, to no effect. This included Belichick, who raved about him and was probably singularily responsible for bringing him over to the Giants. That said he didn't snap for kicks; which makes us much more fortunate that we have Bruce Matthews on hand for that task. Still, it should be easy to teach Steve how to snap for field goals and the like. Did you know his son Zak is also a Long Snapper? And that they've both won Superbowls with the Giants? Keep an eye on this family; it may be one of the stranger legacies in the history of the NFL. Backup Cornerback: Albert Lewis- 1986 -6'2 196. Kansas City Chiefs: 1983-93/ Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders: 1994-98https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/albert-lewis-of-the-kansas-city-chiefs-blocks-the-punt-from-punter-picture-id880005110?s=612x612 Jerry Rice called Lewis the "toughest" cornerback he ever faced. And that's coming from a guy who dueled against Deion Sanders in key games. '89 Lewis turned a corner in terms of recognition by the league, but I'm going with '86 Lewis because he was significantly more active in terms of Special Teams(he would have a renaissance in '90) and his elite athleticism has a little less shaven off. Physically he has everything you want in a cornerback; good size, 4.3 speed, 38 inch vertical. He was also an exceptional man coverage defender, a guy who was a Bump and Runner of a slightly different mold than his predecessors; he innovated the 'catch' technique, which involved letting the receiver make the first move off the line before delivering a jolt to the top of their shoulders. This actually worked to disrupt quick slants, a bred-and-butter staple of the West Coast offense. The key issue is whether it might work against a slot receiver, who has a few extra yards of space to work with. I say this because Lewis is likely going to be the designated Nickelback on defense, and is likely going to be paired up with a slot receiver(unless Haynes or Hayes is somehow beter suited for that game). His physical and mental gifts might compensate for the additional space. That and apparently as a rookie in '83 he was one fo the best nickelbacks in the league. Special Teams works out here because Lewis was hands down the most superior edge blocker on punts this decade. Much of that was due to his speed and long wingspan. '86 and '90 were his key years as a punt blocker where he put on magnificent streaks. He's far less renowned when it comes to placekicks, but his speed and length give him a real fighting chance regardless. He partook in Kickoff Coverage and as a blocker on Kick Returns, but he'll need to be involved further as a gunner on Punt Coverage. Backup Cornerback/Safety: Mike Nelms- 1981 Secondary Positions: Kick Returner(Primary), Punt Returner(Primary) -6'1 188. Washington Redskins: 1980-84http://prod.static.redskins.clubs.nfl.com/assets/images/imported/WAS/photos/2016-Photos/2016-Blogs/Mike_Nelms_0417_615.jpg It was either him or Fulton Walker of Miami. Walker was more established as a defender(Nelms was an emergency option), alas, he ceased to be truly dangerous as a kick returner by the time he started fielding punts. Nelms was proficient at both at the same time. It's not a great decade for returners; the turnover is just too massive. At best a returner had about a three-year peak before either getting washed out of the league or moving on to a starting job. And as I come to find out, they usually only had one of the two duties. Nelms had several years in the CFL before joining Washington, and had a two-year peak surrounded by mere competence, but he was one of the few who did both jobs. He's first team All-Decade when you take that last part into account; he's a North-South runner with speed that wouldn't be considered exceptional, but he can elude defenders quite well and is notably fearless(he rarely, if ever, called for fair catches. Sometimes this would burn him with fumbles). Again, defensively he's an emergency option, but it turns out he could be used as both a cornerback and a safety, so the corner depth isn't totally shallow on this team. Backup Safety: Nolan Cromwell- 1980 Secondary Positions: Holder -6'1 200. Los Angeles Rams: 1977-87http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/nolan-cromwell-of-the-los-angeles-rams-runs-with-the-ball-against-the-picture-id476515013?s=594x594 About two other remaining Free Safeties could compete with Cromwell in terms of skill. Nolan had great range and was considered a coach on the field. Most safeties are zone supporters, but in Nickel/Dime/Dollar formations he would be deployed against a slot receiver as if he were a cornerback, so his coverage skills were top-notch. In short, Pro Evaluators labeled him as a "Blue"(meaning 'top') player through the early 80's. He was shifted over to Strong Safety in '83 to make room for somebody else, and while the end result ultimately was a letdown(injuries and age sapped his ability) it speaks some volumes about his ability to be a team player. All of that said, Cromwell thrives on Special Teams as a Holder. He had actually been a QB in college(albeit more of a runner than a passer), and a track star and the truth was he was a threat to run with the ball on a fake on virtually any kick. It made blocking units freeze themselves because they had to keep an eye on him. He also was reasonably good as an edge blocker on punts, and would be used in Kickoff Coverage as a safety man(really just the last guy who hangs back and takes the returner when he's gotten past everyone else). His role on these squads will have to be expanded, however. He'll likely be on the punting unit as a gunner and as a blocker on kick returns, and might even have to be the Emergency QB(if that ever happens, we'll likely see Walsh dust off the ol' Wishbone like he did in '87). Backup Safety: Ivory Sully- 1983 -6'0 198. Los Angeles Rams: 1979-84/ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1985-86/ Detroit Lions: 1987https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5CzrYS2xuvY/XLT9A0PmgiI/AAAAAAAAXcM/gMjhTw1GiSMc7l-DjH7z5rJ0svV96bNvQCLcBGAs/s320/2019-04-15_15-51-44.jpg Another special teamster. It probably makes sense to use a legit strong safety like Donnie Shell here, as he could feasibly offer the same skills as a gunner that Ivory did in his career. That said, Donnie didn't block punts or placekicks; Ivory did. As for defensive skill, it was a loaded safety group on the Rams that kept Ivory confined to Dime and Dollar sub-packages, finally getting his chance as a starter on the Bucs in '85. He's serviceable at either safety spot as a backup and if Belichick ever uses a 7 DB formation he'll likely get the nod, but he's really here to be a Kamikaze. He'll be a gunner on punts and kickoffs, he'll be a willing blocker on returns, and he'll be an edge blocker in the rest. Another guy Ivory overcame was Bill Bates, a backup safety and occasional sub-package linebacker form Dallas who was every bit the tackling machine Ivory was but didn't do any kick blocking to speak of. Ivory offered more versatility. The Discarded: This one's going to be a headache. Who ultimately mattered at QB? It's a largely short list if you condense the list to players that made the Super Bowl or deep playoff runs. Dan Marino is the most obvious of the exclusions simply because he had the greatest arm of the decade and really only lacked mobility. I can see Walsh having Marino as the backup just to get Montana fired up and motivated, but hey, the Earth's in danger. If Montana can't get motivated for that then [BLEEP]. The only Super Bowl winners outside of Montana were Joe Theismann, Jim Plunkett, Jim McMahon, Phil Simms, and an unqualified Doug Williams. Williams may have had a shot as the backup due to his relief efforts in '87. McMahon was ultimately not good enough despite his swagger. Simms was highly proficient and had a lot of consideration as the backup. Theismann too, thanks to his scrambling ability, but I think this time around he would've chaffed even harder at being the backup. Plunkett seems reliable though the rest of his career is a tad too spotty. John Elway would be second to Marino in terms of raw intangibles and how he would pull victory from the jaws of death... except in the Super Bowl. Apart from SB XXI he laid two duds in '87 and '89. Ken Anderson was a proficient player when the team around him was great and he was a former disciple of Walsh so there was a connection. Warren Moon had a legit claim to being a victim of racism as he went undrafted despite a strong showing at Washington University and had to toil in the CFL for some years before the Oilers took a flier on him. Forever unproven in a Super Bowl, but promising talent. Dan Fouts too, though after the peak years of '80 to '82 the Chargers faded towards mediocrity and dimmed his spotlight. He was still a tough and feisty guy until the end though. About the only remaining guy who offered something gimmicky was Danny White, and that's just because he doubled as a punter. As for the remaining unqualifieds, Randall Cunningham leads out of pure athletic brilliance(the guy could actually surprise you with a deep punt), with Jim Kelly just about to break out by the end of the 80's. Yeah, throw in Jim Everett too, though there's not much difference between him and someone like Lynn Dickey. Ultimately Steve Young knew the WCO and was the rare case of an excellent QB talent being a legit backup for the team the offensive system is based on... and honestly, it's the safest pick based on that factor alone. The RB field was roundly decimated once one-man bands started to become the norm. You had your elite runners(Eric Dickerson, Tony Dorsett), your slashers(Billy Sims, Curt Warner), your bulldozers(Earl Campbell, John Riggins). Of the lot though, the best option that wasn't selected was Marcus Allen, a guy who was an elite closer at the goal line, was an athletic player beyond it, and turned into a willing blocker for Bo Jackson later in the decade. He just had a tendency to fumble too much. As for the rest, they were relatively under-utilized as receivers and weren't asked to block. That kills you when you already have to contend with Walter Payton and Roger Craig in the same backfield. There was room for a blocking fullback but nobody outshone William Andrews when it came to blocking and receiving. And I doubt any of them ever spent a single play as a special teamster. Can't leave off the RBs without addressing the elephant in the room. Bo Jackson. Bo would've been the ultimate [BLEEP] YOU to the Aliens had he qualified. He would've forced this team to go weak somewhere else on the squad because he was too dang special to leave off the table. He was a human cheat code in action. He was the Tecmo Bowl meme in action. Put him on the field late in a close game with the Aliens, watch him rip off a long TD run to seal the victory, send them home crying and claiming Bo was an alien in disguise... and to be honest, it might even be true! Oh, and there's Barry too. Receivers. Where should I start? The ultimate possession receiver in Art Monk? The Mark Brothers(Clayton and Duper) in Miami? A plethora of speed merchants like Roy Green? A guy like Henry Ellard who was an excellent route runner and could've made the team if he just returned kickoffs!? Old stalwarts like John Stallworth? Maybe Al Toon or 6'5 Cris Collinsworth? Go to the Unqualifieds, with guys like John Taylor(would've been the #2 or #3 guy since he was a 49er) or Sterling Sharpe, or even Steve Tasker(an extraordinary gunner and punt blocker who failed to play enough games one year to qualify)? You can well the WR corps is a lot of white noise to me; lots of guys who can do lots of things, but few if any of them offered much that was genuinely unique. They weren't unseating Rice, Lofton, or Largent, and they didn't return kickoffs so Gault vaulted over them. Tight Ends are a much more shallow pool. Mark Bavaro just failed to qualify and that was terrible as he was the best balanced TE of the lot. Paul Coffman could be considered a distant second, but I think it's safer to lump him in with the other receiver types like Todd Christensen and Ozzie Newsome... which were rendered moot since we had Kellen Winslow and we needed blockers. Oh wait, I've forgotten Russ Francis, a guy who actually played for the 49ers in SB XIX and still had all the all-around tools. Even so, it would be merely a #2 job for him and the guy already had his priorities set. Offensive Linemen. Gotta start with the Hogs. The Hogs were the linemen for the Washington Redskins, who got the nickname thanks to their OL Coach, Joe Bugel. No distinct reason for the nickname, he just called em' "Hogs" one time and the name stuck. About the best known names of the group were Joe Jacoby and Russ Grimm. Grimm, left guard, was sadly not athletic or mobile enough for the blocking scheme this team has. Jacoby probably would have made it on that score, except that he wasn't unseating Munoz at Left Tackle, and while he moved to Right Tackle later on in his career, Prime-Jacoby would have an adjustment period that Prime Slater would not. I went with Mike Kenn's superior pass blocking for the backup spot, but one can make a case for Jacoby at that spot. Others like center Jeff Bostic and tackle Jim Lachey didn't warrant enough for major consideration. There aren't many Tackles who warrant consideration. You have the 49ers stalwarts in Bubba Paris and Keith Farnhorst, but they didn't add anything unique to the table. Guys like Chris Hinton(the Baltimore pick that before a trade was supposed to be John Elway), Jimbo Covert, Luis Sharpe, Tunch Ilkin, Marvin Powell, Henry Lawrence... all good players to varying degrees. They just couldn't measure up to the selections made. Two unqualifieds deserve mention. One is Gary Zimmerman, easily one of the best tackles on the list when not taking years into account(Thanks USFL), and someone who might've challenged Mike Kenn for the backup spot. The other is Harris Barton, a 49er at Right Tackle, and he started at a time when Steve Young was seeing legit in-game reps as a QB, so he had blindside experience. Guards are even rarer. The ones that measured up were Doug Wilkerson(4.9 40 in his last training camp), Bill Fralic, and Max Montoya. Maybe Tom Newberry and Randal McDaniel are decent unqualified options. The rest range from serviceable to mediocre or just plain too thin. Wilkerson's honestly the only one with the athleticism to function, but Munchak offered youth and a working relationship with Bruce Matthews. The others were briefly considered as the actual starter before I took notice of what Matthews was doing this decade(I initially thought he was mostly a 90's guy who wouldn't qualify). That leaves Centers, and there are options. Mike Webster remained a top-notch option through most of the 80's, but I'm fairly certain that the beginnings of the CTE plague which ultimately doomed him started around this time. Ray Donaldson(a legit 300-plus center!!) and Jay Hilgenberg round out the remaining 'top' candidates, followed by Joe Fields leading the rest of the 'B' Prospects. Donaldson and Hilgenberg(who blocked for Payton) have a case for the backup spot, if we didn't need a 49er guy who knew the system. 4-3 defensive linemen weren't necessarily automatically excluded due to the formation they played in(look at Reggie White and Dan Hampton). Some were too slim for the job, like Mark Gastineau(who wasn't elite pass rusher but barely average against the run, and who might tempt a spiteful reprisal by the Aliens with his sack dance), Jack Youngblood(who DID play a 3-4 late in his career, but still too slim for what we want), Richard Dent(who would probably be a rushbacker in this system but who's unseating LT?), Fred Dean(was a legit specialist and the first 'Elephant Back' of the 49ers system and might've been worthwhile as a backup had utility not been a requirement), Dexter Manley and Chris Doleman. Even a guy like Jacob Green, who was a 3-4 guy in Seattle but was better suited for the 4-3, falls under the undersized category. The only 4-3 DE large enough for the role is 'Too Tall' Jones, who simply was passed over by more athletic talents and a dearth of backup spots for the DL, which is a bummer because his long reach would've been dang nice as a kick blocker. Inside there are options. Joe Klecko of the Jets was one of the most versatile players, a guy who was on the outside as an end and finished as a Nose Tackle. Sadly he wasn't enough of a kick blocker to unseat Nash, and he wasn't overcoming Howie Long or Dan Hampton either. Dave Butz was a large guy playing for the Redskins who had a wide enough load to play on the Nose but would probably need to be twerked- er, tweaked a bit to play a different responsibility than he was used to(hehehe, Butz). And you can't forget the Manster, Randy White, who is still shackled to the Flex defense and may or may not have enough bulk to play inside or at End. You can't mention the 3-4 linemen without the Giants. Leonard Marshall, George Martin, and Jim Burt. Any one of these could be a Belichick override, just based on him knowing what they can do(If I had to guess, he'd take Marshall over Joe Nash). Probably the other DE he'd consider is Lee Roy Selmon, who was both the primary pass rush for the Buccaneers and had such a technical responsibility at the same time. Nose Tackles, well, Fred Smerlas and Tim Krumrie are the biggest exclusions. Smerlas lost out because Nash can block field goals. Krumrie not so much for the same reason, but because of the awful leg injury he sustained in SB XXIII, during his peak year. He came back, but at a rung or two lower on the skill ladder. Everybody else was some degree of undersized(below 270) or less talented. The lone unqualified to draw remote consideration would be Jerry Ball, who shot above 300 pounds during his playing days but still performed at a rather high level(a Ball at around 290-300 pound levels might've been unstoppable). We're going to be completely honest, there are only two 'rushbackers' who merited genuine consideration, and one or two that merited 'contrived' consideration. The Jacksons, Rickey and Tom(Not related) were the definites. Rickey in fact was right up there with Andre Tippett for the starting job(I thought Tippett to be more lethal as a pass rusher). Then I started toying with the idea of putting Rickey into a hybrid OLB/ILB role, someone who could be shifted inside though they never layed that spot in their career and be a sufficient backup who could defend a pass. Sadly for Rickey, I reconsidered Wilber Marshall around that time, and I found Wilber to be a superior pass defender, and one who wouldn't have as much of a learning curve because he played in a 4-3. Tom Jackson was in the same boat as Rickey, but it was more his age that pushed him out of the way. As for the contrived, John Anderson was initially going to be my experimental backup ILB. Eventually I found a superior athletic talent in Marshall for the job, then I found Fredd Young, who became an ILB and had extensive knowledge of Special Teams. Kevin Greene was only ever a brief option as a pass rusher. Clay Matthews had that jack-of-all-trades quality, but failed to secure a bench role for the same reasons everyone else didn't. Ditto for underrated guys like Mike Douglass and Keena Turner. There were a lot of unqualifieds though; the ol' Stork in Ted Hendricks, elite newcomers like Tim Harris, Cornelius Bennett, and Derrick Thomas. Heck, even Charles Haley, the new-age Elephant Back for the 49ers defense. The only Inside LB really worth discussing is Jack Lambert, whose pass defense skills should've merited a major discussion. Still, age is a factor. He wasn't taking a starting spot from Carson or Singletary, and he'd have to labor in Special Teams at his advanced age. I'm probably underestimating his commitments, but even so. The rest were guys like Karl Mecklenberg, Matt Millen, and Steve Nelson. Two-down run defenders. I can use DeOssie for that if I have to. The best unqualifieds were Randy Gradishar and Sam Mills. Mills is the most intriguing despite the 5'9 frame because his intelligence was off the charts and he could QB a defense as good as any body. Mills was part of the 'Dome Patrol', the most star-packed linebacking corps in the 80's. Rickey Jackson was one such member, and the others were Pat Swilling and Vaughan Johnson. Whether they were the best unit is debatable, since, y'know, they didn't win anything together. Who mattered at Cornerback? Everyone's going to mention Darrell Green, who was the fastest guy in the NFL(and proved it by winning numerous Fastest Men competitions and chasing down the best backs. You chase down Tony Dorsett and you've got bragging rights for the rest of your career. The guy could sting like a bee despite his small frame and would occasionally return punts, and had we not needed a kick blocker and a kick returner, he would've made the team. Everson Walls was considered the best Zone defender of the bunch and would've worked in the base Zone system the Giants used for their secondary(in fact, he would join the Giants in '90 though only as a safety), but Hayes and Haynes were too good as a tandem to exclude, and Walls didn't offer anything extra as a backup. Gary Green of the Rams and Chiefs was almost the equal of Albert Lewis as a kick blocker, but the team needed a returner instead. Louis Wright got some consideration as a starter, but Lester Hayes was thought to be superior, especially with age factored in. The Giants did have a highly renowned Cornerback named Mark Haynes... problem was they traded him after '84 and he missed out on SB XXI as a result. Some mention must go to a guy named Leslie Frazier, who played for the Bears and had his peak year in '85... only he suffered a career-ending knee injury during SB XX. Free Safety's largely been picked clean. Gary Fencik's probably the best of the lot, largely because his partner in the '46' would go into the box as an extra linebacker, meaning he had to make immediate decisions as to which cornerback he'd help in pass defense. He was highly intelligent and helped cover for a lot of weaknesses in the formation. Deron Cherry(part of the same Chiefs unit as Lewis and Green) is the last remaining guy of major note. Dwight Hicks of the 49ers won two Super Bowls but was replaced by Ronnie Lott. Of future note is a guy named Eugene Robinson, who'll come of age in the 90's. Strong Safety has a lot of options. Donnie Shell was mentioned before. Then there were thumpers like Joey Browner and Dennis Smith, as well as an underrated guy named Dave Duerson of Chicago. Also from Chicago, a reserve named Todd Bell who was eventually cut and rejoined Buddy Ryan in Philadelphia, where they made him a linebacker. Given that he was trained for the '46' role(the safety-in-the-box), it wasn't an insurmountable transistion. A guy named Tim McDonald has the most promise of the unqualifieds, but one should also mention David Fulcher, who had the legit size of a linebacker while playing safety. You really wanna know about the Specialists? Really? You've got your Andersons(Morten and Gary), you've got your Bahrs(Matt and Chris), you've got ol' Jan Stenerud, you've got Mark Moseley(the 1982 MVP, if ever there was a year to nominate Haywood Jablome...), you've got your dome babbys(Eddie Murray), your barefoot ninnys... oh, did I mention some kickers(Tony Franklin, Rich Karlis) actually booted the ball with only one shoe? I know they use the instep of the foot for the business end, but what the [BLEEP]? You're not only useless running down the field on kickoffs, you're risking additional damage to your foot! Imagine getting your field goal blocked by a diving defender whose helmet smashes into your toes! Imagine your foot getting caught between the seams of astroturf! Imagine stepping on a muddy field or in a blizzard! Punters? Ray Guy and a bunch of others. Special Teamsters? Shoot, Bill Bates, Trey Junkin(long time Long Snapper), we already mentioned Steve Tasker... oh, there are a LOT of unqualified returners who could return kicks and punts. Vai Sikahema, Rod Woodson, Tim Brown, John Taylor, Dave Meggett. Unfortunately, that's not a big enough skill to warrant an exception. The Scrimmagers: The overall picture is the same as last decade, but there are only two genuine Club Teams this time around, with four amalgamations. A lot of this has to do with a more diverse mixture of players having been selected for the team; The Offensive and Defensive templates come from separate teams for a start, which crushes two Club Teams(49ers and Giants) right off the bat, a strict adherence to the five-year guideline terminates a lot of good players on those squads(mostly from the 49ers) and forces us to pick from other teams, which in term pokes holes in other clubs that migth be selected. And, perhaps most importantly, teams with distinct identities this decade tend to be one-sided. Think of the '46 Defense of the Bears and Eagles, and what do you remember about their offenses apart from Sweetness and Randall Cunningham? Think of Dan Marino and the Dolphins, but can you think of their defense? Think of Lawrence Taylor and the Giants wrecking Quarterbacks but was their offense noteworthy at all? Even the 49ers have a problem; apart from Ronnie Lott, who can you remember from their defense? Y'know, if you're not a 49er fanatic? Anyways, you should know the drill by now. 1970's All-Decade Team Head Coach: Chuck Noll- 1980 Key Assistant: George Perles- 1980(Assistant Head Coach/DL) Key Assistant: Bud Carson- 1980(Defensive Coordinator) Key Assistant: Richard Hoak- 1980(OB Coach) Key Assistant: Tom Moore- 1980(WR Coach) Key Assistant: Dan Radakovich- 1980(OL Coach) Key Assistant: Woody Widenhofer- 1980(LB Coach) Key Assistant: Richard Walker- 1980(DB Coach) Key Assistant: Louis Riecke- 1980(Strength Coach) Key Assistant: Paul Uram- 1980(Conditioning Coach) Offense: Pro-Set Defense: 4-3 Offense QB: Terry Bradshaw- 1982 RB: Mike Pruitt- 1980(Off-Position) FB: Franco Harris- 1981 WR: Lynn Swann- 1980 WR: Drew Pearson- 1980 TE: Dave Capser- 1980 LT: Art Shell- 1980 LG: Gene Upshaw- 1980 C: Mike Webster- 1980(LS) RG: Joe DeLamielleure- 1980 RT: Dan Dierdorf- 1980Defense LDE: L.C. Greenwood- 1980 LDT: Joe Greene- 1980 RDT: Larry Brooks- 1980(Off-Position) RDE: Harvey Martin- 1982 LLB: Jack Ham- 1980 MLB: Jack Lambert- 1981 RLB: Randy Gradishar- 1981(Off-Position) LCB: Lemar Parrish- 1980 SS: Charlie Waters- 1980(Hld) FS: James "J.T." Thomas- 1981 RCB: Mel Blount- 1981Bench K: Toni Fritsch- 1980 P: John James- 1980 QB: Tommy Kramer- 1986 RB: Greg Pruitt- 1980 RB: Horace Ivory- 1980(KR) RB: Rocky Bleier- 1980 WR: Rick Upchurch- 1982(PR) WR: Rich Mauti- 1980(KR) TE: Riley Odoms- 1980 T: Jon Kolb- 1981 G: Bob Kuechenberg- 1980 C: Rich Saul- 1980DE: Claude Humphrey- 1980 DT: Louie Kelcher- 1980 DT: Gary Johnson- 1984 LB: Isiah Robertson- 1980 LB: Matt Blair- 1980 LB: Bob Breunig- 1980 LB: Dwight "D.D." Lewis- 1980 CB: Roger Wehrli- 1980 CB: Pat Thomas- 1980 S: Bill Thompson- 1980 S: Thomas "Thom" Darden- 1980 I remember back in the 30's I utilized the 20's All-Decade Team as a scrimmage partner and expressed an interest in making that idea a constant through the decades. Let's look at all the reasons that went wrong; The 40's involved creating an All-AAFC team as well, and when combined with the sheer lack of teams and remaining good players, it dictated a different approach to the scrimmages. I probably could've scrounged up a 1930's team but it would've been incredibly depleted by the 40's roster(Sammy Baugh, Don Hutson, etc.). I probably could've scrounged up a 1940's roster for the 50's but if I remember correctly there was a stunning amount of good players who left before the 50's started or were reduced to nothing as the 50's started(like Steve Van Buren). As for a 40's AAFC team, that was almost entirely the Cleveland Browns. There were slightly more teams in the NFL in the 60's and slightly more players to choose from, but sicne we had an All-AFL team as well, I decided to use the same Scrimmage format as I did in the 40's with the NFL and AAFC. As for the seventies, it feels like I genuinely have no excuse- my view was probably distorted over the PI rules in '78 and I didn't want to mess with another early 70's outfit that'll be deeply outclassed, especially when I have such variety to work with for the first time. That said, I absolutely could have gone the full mile and assembled a 60's team, or even a 60's NFL and 60's AFL team. For this team, the turnover largely consisted of players who retired before the 70's were over, with only one man making it to the 80's team(Walter Payton) and a couple of others moved elsewhere. Everyone was part of the early 80's, in years when they were about to reach the twilight of their careers. That said, it's a vastly weaker outfit, diminished with age. They still employ the same strategies on both sides of the ball as they did last decade, but with vastly lesser effectiveness. It's a good starting point for our tune-ups. All-Decade Remainder Team B Head Coach: Don Coryell- 1981 Key Assistant: Ernie Zampese- 1989(Offensive Coordinator) Key Assistant: Richard LeBeau- 1988(Defensive Coordinator/DB Coach) Key Assistant: Richard Coury- 1989(QB Coach) Key Assistant: Gil Haskell- 1989(RB Coach) Key Assistant: Norv Turner- 1989(WR/TE Coach) Key Assistant: Dale Levy- 1981(OL Coach) Key Assistant: Stan Jones- 1986(DL Coach) Key Assistant: Steve Sidwell- 1987(ILB Coach) Key Assistant: Vic Fangio- 1987(OLB Coach) Key Assistant: Frank Gansz, Sr- 1986(Special Teams) Key Assistant: Kim Wood- 1988(Strength/Conditioning) Offense: Air Coryell Defense: 3-4 Offense QB: Dan Fouts- 1981 RB: Tony Dorsett- 1980 WR: Wes Chandler- 1982 WR: John Jefferson- 1980 WR: Charlie Joiner- 1980 TE: Ozzie Newsome- 1984 LT: Jim Lachey- 1989 LG: Doug Wilkerson- 1982 C: Don Macek- 1981 RG: Ed White- 1981 RT: Tim Irwin- 1986Defense LDE: Jack Youngblood- 1983 NT: Joe Klecko- 1985 RDE: Lee Roy Selmon- 1980 LOLB: Rickey Jackson- 1987 LILB: Sam Mills- 1987 RILB: Vaughan Johnson- 1987 ROLB: Pat Swilling- 1987 LCB: Gary Green- 1983 SS: Joey Browner- 1988 FS: Johnnie Johnson- 1983 RCB: Rod Woodson- 1989(KR)Bench K: Morten Andersen- 1985 P: Rich Camarillo- 1983 QB: Steve Dils- 1983(Hld) RB: Vai Sikahema- 1986(KR/PR) RB: Ron Wolfley- 1987 RB: Hank Bauer- 1981 WR: Steve Tasker- 1987 WR: Jim Jensen- 1988(LS-P) TE: Pete Holohan- 1984 TE: David Hill- 1981 T: Stan Brock- 1987 C: Blair Bush- 1981(LS-K) DL: Neil Smith- 1989 DL: Mark Pike- 1989 DL: Gary Jeter- 1985 LB: Rufus Porter- 1989 LB: Eugene Seale- 1988 LB: Sam Anno- 1989 LB: Bill Cowher- 1983 DB: Eugene Daniel- 1988 DB: Bill Bates- 1984 DB: Reyna Thompson- 1989 DB: Elbert Shelley- 1989 I'm unsure if Don Coryell used assistants for his offensive positions during the early 80's, but I know Ernie Zampese was a part of his staff then, so I took him from '89(when he was running a similarly high-octane Rams offense) and used his support staff from that year to fill out the offensive coaching ranks. The defense is really a hodge-podge using a 3-4, with Richard LeBeau masterminding the whole thing(he helped Cincinnati reach SB XXIII in '88). Joining him were Stan Jones(coaching Denver's DL), and a tandem of Vig Fangio and Steve Sidwell(who ran the 'Dome Patrol' of New Orleans, considered the best overall LB Corps of the decade in terms of raw star power). The real key guy is Frank Gansz, who was labeled by no less than George Allen as the best in the business when it came to coaching Special Teams. That unit is the true specialty of this team, as the bench is wholly populated with the best players who performed on the Kamikazes. Key positions like Returner, Long Snapper, and Holder, they have backups. They have a collection of guys who have blocked picks and punts. They have notorious gunners and up backs. And in Morten Anderson, they have the greatest howitzer leg when it comes to kickoffs. Offensively, the team runs Air Coryell with Ozzie Newsome replacing Kellen Winslow and an upgrade at running back with Tony Dorsett. Apart from those changes and the tackles(Jim Lachey and Tim Irwin), the offense is entirely from the early 80's Chargers. Defensively, the Dome Patrol is the linebacker unit, but they are bolstered on the line by solid talents on the DL(Jack Youngblood, Lee Roy Selmon, Joe Klecko), and a reasonably talented secondary(be on the lookout in future decades for Rod Woodson, by the way). Washington Redskins All-Decade Team Head Coach: Joe Gibbs- 1987 Key Assistant: Richie Petitbon- 1987(Assistant Head Coach- Defense) Key Assistant: Larry Peccatiello- 1987(Defensive Coordinator) Key Assistant: Dan Henning- 1987(Passing Game Coordinator/QB Coach) Key Assistant: Jerry Rhome- 1987(QB Coach) Key Assistant: Don Breaux- 1987(RB Coach) Key Assistant: Charley Taylor- 1987(WR Coach) Key Assistant: Rennie Simmons- 1987(TE Coach) Key Assistant: Joe Bugel- 1987(OL Coach) Key Assistant: Torgy Torgeson- 1987(DL Coach) Key Assistant: Emmitt Thomas- 1987(DB Coach) Key Assistant: Wayne Sevier- 1982(Special Teams) Key Assistant: Dan Riley- 1987(Strength/Conditioning) Key Assistant: Joe Diange- 1987(Assistant Strength/Conditioning) Offense: Single-Back Defense: 4-3 Offense QB: Joe Theismann- 1982(Hld) RB: John Riggins- 1982 WR: Art Monk- 1984 WR: Gary Clark- 1987 WR: Charlie Brown- 1983 TE: Don Warren- 1982 LT: Joe Jacoby- 1983 LG: Russ Grimm- 1983 C: Jeff Bostic- 1983(LS) RG: R.C. Thielemann- 1982 RT: Mark May- 1984Defense LDE: Charles Mann- 1987 LDT: Dave Butz- 1983 RDT: Darryl Grant- 1984 RDE: Dexter Manley- 1982 LLB: Mel Kaufman- 1985 MLB: Neal Olkewicz- 1982 RLB: Rich Milot- 1982 LCB: Darrell Green- 1987 SS: Alvin Walton- 1987 FS: Mark Murphy- 1982 RCB: Barry Wilburn- 1987Bench K: Mark Moseley- 1982 P: Steve Cox- 1985 QB: Doug Williams- 1987 RB: Joe Washington- 1981 RB: Otis Wonsley- 1983 RB: Ken Jenkins- 1985(KR/PR) WR: Ricky Sanders- 1987(KR) WR: Joe Johnson- 1989 TE: Rick Walker- 1982 TE: Clint Didier- 1987 T: George Starke- 1982 G: Raleigh McKenzie- 1987 C: Rick Donnalley- 1984 DL: Tony McGee- 1982 DL: Perry Brooks- 1981 DL: Dean Hamel- 1985 LB: Monte Coleman- 1987 LB: Ravin Caldwell- 1989 LB: Kurt Gouveia- 1989 DB: Vernon Dean- 1985 DB: Joe Lavender- 1980 DB: Curtis Jordan- 1985 DB: Tony Peters- 1982 One of the two club teams, the only real loss this team took was Mike Nelms, their best returner in the decade. Everyone else kept coming up short, making this an ideal team to replicate for the schedule. Surprisingly, Joe Gibbs ran a wider offense than he would've been expected to- close to Air Coryell- but he bolstered that attack with a brutal blocking unit called the 'Hogs' and the Diesel, John Riggins, churning out tough yards on the ground. The Redskins can go as far as four-deep in terms of wideouts, five if you sub in Joe Washington at Runningback. Defensively, the Redskins run a rather conservative 4-3 that depends largely on their DL getting pressure and stuffing the run. The pass defense is solid. The main guy under center will be Joe Theismann but he's supplemented by '87 Doug Williams, who made a spectacular relief effort for Washington, becoming the first Black QB to win the Super Bowl(and thanfully, not the last). Of some small note is Steve Cox, who was primarily a punter but was called upon a fair bit to boot long-range field goals(he was the first after Tom Dempsey to even reach 60 yards in '84). Los Angeles Raiders All-Decade Team(2 Guests) Head Coach: Tom Flores- 1983 Key Assistant: Charlie Sumner- 1983(Defensive Coordinator) Key Assistant: Larry Kennan- 1983(QB Coach) Key Assistant: Ray Willsey- 1983(RB Coach) Key Assistant: Terry Robiske- 1983(Assistant RB Coach) Key Assistant: Bob Mischak- 1983(TE Coach) Key Assistant: Sam Boghosian- 1983(OL Coach) Key Assistant: Earl Leggett- 1983(DL Coach) Key Assistant: Chet Franklin- 1983(DB Coach) Key Assistant: Willie Brown- 1983(DB Coach) Key Assistant: Steve Ortmayer- 1983(Special Teams) Offense: Vertical Defense: 3-4 Offense QB: Jim Plunkett- 1980 RB: Marcus Allen- 1983 RB: Bo Jackson- 1989 WR: Cliff Branch- 1980 WR: Tim Brown- 1988(KR/PR) TE: Todd Christensen- 1983(LS-P) LT: Bruce Davis- 1983 LG: Charley Hannah- 1983 C: Don Mosebar- 1986 RG: Mickey Marvin- 1983 RT: Henry Lawrence- 1983Defense LDE: Bill Pickel- 1985(Off-Position) NT: Bob Golic- 1989 RDE: Lyle Alzado- 1983 LOLB: Ted Hendricks- 1980 LILB: Matt Millen- 1983 RILB: Jerry Robinson- 1987 ROLB: Rod Martin- 1983 LCB: Frank Minnifield- 1987(Guest) SS: Mike Davis- 1980 FS: Vann McElroy- 1983 RCB: Hanford Dixon- 1987(Guest)Bench K: Chris Bahr- 1983 P: Ray Guy- 1980 QB: Marc Wilson- 1983 QB: David Humm- 1983(Hld) RB: Kenny King- 1980 RB: Derrick Jensen- 1980 WR: Malcolm Barnwell- 1983 WR: Dokie Williams- 1984(KR) TE: Andy Parker- 1988 T: Rory Graves- 1989 G: Bruce Wilkerson- 1989 C: Dave Dalby- 1983(LS-K) DL: Sean Jones- 1986 DL: Greg Townsend- 1983 DL: Reggie Kinlaw- 1980 LB: Bob Nelson- 1983 LB: Linden King- 1989 LB: Jack Squirek- 1983 LB: Jeff Barnes- 1983 DB: Monte Jackson- 1980 DB: Lionel Washington- 1989 DB: Burgess Owens- 1980 DB: Stacey Toran- 1987 The second club team. This one has obivous holes to patch up first. There's Howie Long, of course, but we've taken their Cornerback Tandem of Lester Hayes and Mike Haynes. To replace those two, we went to Cleveland, which had Frank Minnifield and Hanford Dixon. Those two guys were blanket cover men who apparently had a 'rough' reputation(they even created the 'Dawg Pound' for the Cleveland faithful). I think they're as good as it's ever going to get for off-team replacements. As for Long, I moved Nose Tackle Bill Pickel over(he was better suited for the role, as he was a pass-rushing Nose by trade). As for the rest, it's largely an amalgamation of players from the '80 and '83 Squads(both Super Bowl Champions), with a few other players from other years. '86 Sean Jones backs up the defensive ends and is a quality pass rusher. '88 Tim Brown is a budding receiver but a dangerous returner. But the biggest addition is '89 Bo Jackson, with no baseball to keep him away this time. Last time he and Allen were paired together, Allen was reduced to a blocking role. Hopefully, things are different this time around, as both are killers. '46' Team Head Coach: Buddy Ryan- 1989 Key Assistant: Ted Plumb- 1989(Offensive Coordinator/WR Coach) Key Assistant: Jeff Fisher- 1989(Defensive Coordinator) Key Assistant: Doug Scovil- 1988(QB Coach) Key Assistant: Johnny Roland- 1985(RB Coach) Key Assistant: Steve Kazor- 1985(TE Coach/Defensive Assistant/Special Teams) Key Assistant: Richard Stanfel- 1985(OL Coach) Key Assistant: Dale Haupt- 1985(DL Coach) Key Assistant: Tom Bettis- 1989(DB Coach) Key Assistant: Ronnie Joe Jones- 1989(LB Coach/Strength/Conditioning) Offense: Pro-Set Defense: 4-3/'46' Offense QB: Randall Cunningham- 1989 RB: Neal Anderson- 1989 FB: Keith Byers- 1989 WR: Mike Quick- 1986 WR: Cris Carter- 1989 TE: Keith Jackson- 1988 LT: Jimbo Covert- 1985 LG: Mark Bortz- 1985 C: Jay Hilgenberg- 1985(LS-K) RG: Tom Thayer- 1985 RT: Keith Van Horne- 1985Defense LDE: Clyde Simmons- 1989(Off-Position) LDT: Steve McMichael- 1985 RDT: Jerome Brown- 1989 RDE: Richard Dent- 1985 LLB: Otis Wilson- 1985 MLB: Seth Joyner- 1988(Off-Position) RLB: Al Harris- 1988 LCB: Mike Richardson- 1985 SS: Dave Duerson- 1985 FS: Gary Fencik- 1985 RCB: Eric Allen- 1989 Bench K: Kevin Butler- 1985 P: Maury Buford- 1985 QB: Jim McMahon- 1985 RB: Dennis Gentry- 1985(KR) RB: Dave Williams- 1980(KR) RB: Matt Suhey- 1985 WR: Dennis McKinnon-1987(PR) WR: Brian Baschnagel- 1981(Hld)TE: John Spagnola- 1985 T: Matt Darwin- 1988 G: Kurt Becker- 1985 C: Dan Neal- 1980 DL: Mike Hartenstine- 1985 DL: Henry Waechter- 1985 DL: William Perry- 1985 DL: Mike Pitts- 1989 LB: Gary Campbell- 1981 LB: Byron Evans- 1989 LB: Ron Rivera- 1989 DB: Leslie Frazier- 1984 DB: Vestee Jackson- 1988 DB: Todd Bell- 1985 DB: Andre Waters- 1988 I ragged on the '46' a bit, but it still needed to be represented. At any rate, the primary template was the '85 Chicago Bears, supplemented by the Philadelphia Eagles of '88 and '89(which Buddy Ryan coached). The defense had major holes, having lost Mike Singletary, Wilber Marshall, and Dan Hampton to the All-Decade team. We had to push two Eagles off-position; Clyde Simmons was the Richard Dent of the Eagles D, but he's moved over to the left to play the Dan Hampton/Reggie White role. Seth Joyner was moved to Middle Linebacker. Marshall's spot was filled by a player who took part on both teams in his career, Al Harris(no, not the cornerback). The downgrade of Leslie Frazier(thanks to the career-ending injury in SB XX) made us swap in Eric Allen. The offense consists of mostly Eagles skill players and Bears blockers. Randall Cunningham has a great safety valve in Keith Byers and legit weapons in Mike Quick, Cris Carter, and Keith Jackson. The only questionable spot is Runningback, but it seemed appropriate to grab Payton's replacement in Neal Anderson. All-Decade Remainder Team A Head Coach: George Seifert- 1989 Key Assistant: Mike Holmgren- 1989(Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach) Key Assistant: Bill McPherson- 1989(Defensive Coordinator) Key Assistant: Al Lavan- 1989(RB Coach) Key Assistant: Dennis Green- 1988(WR Coach) Key Assistant: Lynn Stiles- 1989(TE Coach/Special Teams) Kay Assistant: Fred Hoaglin- 1989(OL Coach) Key Assistant: John Marshall- 1989(DL Coach) Key Assistant: Bob Zeman- 1989(LB Coach) Key Assistant: Ray Rhodes- 1989(DB Coach) Key Assistant: Tommy Hart- 1989(Defensive Assistant) Key Assistant: Johnny Parker- 1986(Strength/Conditioning) Offense: West Coast Offense(Dan Marino Adjustments) Defense: 4-3 'Elephant' Offense QB: Dan Marino- 1984 RB: Eric Dickerson- 1984 FB: Tom Rathman- 1989 WR: Henry Ellard- 1988 WR: Mark Clayton- 1984 TE: Mark Bavaro- 1986 LT: Gary Zimmerman- 1988 LG: Tom Newberry- 1989 C: Ray Donaldson- 1988 RG: Max Montoya- 1988 RT: Harris Barton- 1989Defense LDE: Ed "Too Tall" Jones- 1982(Off-Position) NT: Fred Smerlas- 1981 RDE: Leonard Marshall- 1986 LOLB: Charles Haley- 1988 LILB: Karl Mecklenburg- 1986 RILB: Jim Collins- 1984 ROLB: Clay Matthews- 1987 LCB: Louis Wright- 1983 SS: Donnie Shell- 1982 FS: Deron Cherry- 1986 RCB: Eric Wright- 1984 Bench(3 Left) K: Eddie Murray- 1985 P: Rohn Stark- 1985(Hld) QB: Phil Simms- 1986 RB: Thurman Thomas- 1989 RB: Herschel Walker- 1986 WR: John Taylor- 1988(PR) WR: Ron Brown- 1985(KR) TE: Russ Francis- 1984 TE: Trey Junkin- 1989(LS-P)T: Bubba Paris- 1989 G: Bill Fralic- 1986 C: Bart Oates- 1986(LS-K) DE: Ray Childress- 1989 DE: Carl Hairston- 1980 NT: Jerry Ball- 1989 LB: Cornelius Bennett- 1988 LB: Keena Turner- 1984 LB: Mike Walter- 1989 LB: John Anderson- 1982 DB: Everson Walls- 1985 DB: Dwight Hicks- 1981 DB: David Fulcher- 1989 DB: Fulton Walker- 1981(KR) The best of what's left, well, after the club teams but before Team B. George Seifert coaches, and with the exception of Fred Hoaglin of the Giants, the coaching staff comes from the 49ers, mainly the ones who didn't qualify like Mike Holmgren. This includes the defense, which was left aside for Bill Belichick. The offense in theory runs the West Coast, but remember what Bill Walsh said about Dan Marino; he IS the system. We've surrounded him with a quality offensive line(though it might be less of a pass protecting unit than the Dolphins he's worked with) and excellent runners in Eric Dickerson, Thurman Thomas, and Herschel Walker. He gets a familiar target in Mark Clayton and perhaps some upgrades in Henry Ellard, John Taylor, Mark Bavaro, and Russ Francis. He even gets a safety valve in Tom Rathman. In short, Marino's been gifted the best possible supporting cast for his talents and now the production is on him. Defensively, the Elepehant 4-3 is in effect, led by Charles Haley in the prime rushbacker role. There are some concerns; Too Tall Jones is off-position in the 3-4, Fred Smerlas may be overpowered at the point, Karl Mecklenburg may be a coverage liability. Apart from that the secondary is solid and there are underrated talents on hand like Donnie Shell, Leonard Marshall, and Jim Collins(who was slowed by a neck injury in the '85 Pro Bowl but was very sneaky good prior to that). And of course there's Clay Matthews, who seems ideal for the opposite OLB role from the Elephant. The bench on both sides seemingly have answers for everything. Final Tidbits: Our venue hasn't changed; Stadium Venue: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles Training Camp: Fullerton State(Fullerton, California) Los Angeles is still the place to be, as far as Grass Fields, Quaint Weather, and Football-Only Facilities go. Alas, next decade we will have to start asking some hard questions about where to go next. Onto Sports Broadcasting, where ABC has taken on enough of the pie to have joined NBC and CBS in the rotation of Super Bowl Broadcasts by the end of the decade. In addition, ESPN has finally started to get their claws into the process by hosting a Sunday Night game starting in '87, yet it is still a little minnow in the sea. It will take some time before they're a big enough part of the process to be noticed. Anyways, the scheduling is consistant with the order of the scrimmages, like last decade; Game 1: Television Broadcast: CBS Play-by-Play Commentator: Richard Stockton Color Commentator: Hank Stram Sideline Reporters: Phyllis George/James Brown The pairing really only existed for one year, but below the #1 Pairing there existed only chaos. Legends like Curt Gowdy left the team on a seemingly year-by-year basis. Vin Scully felt insulted that he was downgraded in the pecking roder for Pat Summerall(whose tone was better suited for John Madden's color commentary) and took off. Tom Brookshier was in and out. Frank Glieber died of a heart attack in '85. Nobody truly stepped in as a #2 Play-by-Play guy. Stockton is perhaps the safest choice. Hank Stram was almost lost midway through the '88 season but pulled through. Out of the remaining color guys, he's probably the most interesting. The sideline commentators are really the pickings left over because a particular twosome took on the role for most of the decade- and this James Brown is the singer, not the RB. Game 2: Television Broadcast: NBC Play-by-Play Commentator: Don Criqui Color Commentator: Bob Trumpy Sideline Reporters: Ahmad Rashad/Mike Adamle I probably could've gone with Marv Albert instead of Don Criqui. He's the bigger 'name'. But he's also mainly a basketball guy. You've seen names like Bob Trumpy and Ahmad Rashad in the past decade- I am fairly certain I mentioned both of them. Game 3: Television Broadcast: ABC Play-by-Play Commentator: Al Michaels Color Commentators: Frank Gifford, Don Meredith Sideline Reporters: Jack Whitaker/Jim Hill Once again, the Monday Night Football crew get their due. Late into the decade, Al Michaels joined the team and took the Play-by-Play calling from Gifford, who settled into a color role. Problem was their third guy was Dan Dierdorf, and a rule of thumb here is we can't use Commentators who are on any of the teams. Thankfully, we still have Don Meredith(though I could've gone with OJ Simpson). The sideline reporters were used when ABC broadcast SB XXIII. Game 4: Television Broadcast: NBC Play-by-Play Commentator: Richard Enberg Color Commentator: Merlin Olsen Sideline Reporters: Bill Macatee/Bob Griese Top team at NBC, no question. Bob Griese was actually a second color commentator for SB XX, but he was more often a sideline reporter for the big games. Game 5: Television Broadcast: CBS Play-by-Play Commentator: Pat Summerall Color Commentator: John Madden Sideline Reporters: Irv Cross/Will McDonough This is, I'm fairly certain, the Immortal Pairing when it comes to the history of Football Broadcasting. This pairing would continue to dominate into the 90's, and if I weren't focused on an Integrated Broadcast for the final two games, these two would be the team in charge of the Alien game. Game 6: Television Broadcast: CBS/NBC/ABC Play-by-Play Commentator: Pat Summerall(CBS)/Richard Enberg(NBC) Color Commentator: Frank Gifford(ABC) Sideline Reporters: Bob Griese(NBC)/Will McDonough(CBS) I finally found a combination I liked for the final game, which leaves me with a slight problem for this game. Having Summerall and Enberg as Play-by-Play guys is a bit redundant, and it's likely one or both would have to take a role closer to color commentary, but frankly there's Gifford on hand to provide a contrast that the unlucky 'middle' guy can bounce off of. Final Game: Television Broadcast: CBS/NBC/ABC Play-by-Play Commentator: Al Michaels(ABC) Color Commentators: John Madden(CBS)/Merlin Olsen(NBC) Sideline Reporters: Irv Cross(CBS)/Bill Macatee(NBC) Pre-Game Hosts: Brent Musberger(CBS)/Bob Costas(NBC) Pre-Game Analysts: Gayle Gardner(NBC)/Don Shula(NBC)/Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder(CBS)/Roger Staubach(CBS)/OJ Simpson(ABC) I liked Summerall's rapport with Madden and I think he's a top-notch guy for the job, but I like Madden's color(especially in the 80's and 90's when age hadn't worn him down yet), and Michaels was close enough even at this time to settle in as the Play-by-Play guy. Olsen returns from last decade to fill virtually the same role as he did in the 70's, which was to be a bit of a football voice(though Madden's also a football voice). I couldn't really choose between Brent Musburger or Bob Costas(now that NBC was also doing the pre-game stuff), so I just said, screw it; let them co-host and pray they don't actually hate each other. The 'panel' is naturally diverse; Don Shula is the 'coach', Roger Staubach and OJ Simpson(before the murders, I don't give a [BLEEP]), are the former 'players'. Jimmy The Greek returns to offer his classic take(largely predicting the score). Gayle Gardner is the 'female' voice but she's not Phyllis George in that she actually broadcasted sports games and was involved with a pre-game panel before the 1988 AFC Championship, and then co-hosted the SB XXIV pre-game with Costas in '89. Having seven people including two co-hosts might be much, but it turned out that way in order to keep representation broad if not entirely fair(ABC only has one rep, the others have three) Oh No! I Goofed! Don't worry, it's nothing to do with this decade. It has more to do with the 1930's and 40's. In the 1930's I established that the chosen defensive formation for the All-Decade team would be a 5-3-3 as opposed to a 6-2-2-1. I did this largely because of one specific player; Left Guard Danny Fortmann, who was described as both undersized and a great diagnoser of offensive plays when on defense. I took those traits, and I felt certain that meant Fortmann lined up as a third linebacker on defense. This dictated the need for a large presence at Middle Guard and created the first really 'screwed' player from the pool, even though he still made the team as a backup. I've recently discovered that Fortmann was indeed lined up on the line, especially as late as 1939 when George Musso had moved from Right Tackle to Right Guard. What does this alter? Well, the 30's team will most likely be running a 6-2-2-1 with that in mind, since the players were still playing under strict substitution limits and couldn't be platooned off yet. The player who got screwed, Gover "Ox" Emerson, now has no excuse; he's one of the best candidates to play at Right Guard, and George Musso would be shifted over to Right Tackle. George Christansen probably still makes the team, but as a bench player. As for the 40's, because Fortmann also made the team then, there are no changes. This is because of two things; first, Fortmann only played on offense(the NFL team has to embrace free substitution to take on the AAFC team), and second, Riley Matheson, the guy playing that third linebacker spot, legitly was a linebacker. Besides, the NFL team would have to go up in a 5-3-3 or even a 5-2-4 just to contend with the AAFC team. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zycho32 Posted February 8, 2020 Author Share Posted February 8, 2020 My dad just died today. I don't know when I'll be resuming this project. I don't know if I'll be resuming this project. I am feeling a level of pain I cannot even begin to comprehend. I'm sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicMT Posted February 9, 2020 Share Posted February 9, 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, Zycho32 said: Deeply sorry for you Z32.. I know it's a long road (speaking from experience) but it'll become easier/better after a time. Can't offer more than this cliché and I am sorry for it. Thank you for those detailed posts. Edited February 9, 2020 by MagicMT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripline Posted February 9, 2020 Share Posted February 9, 2020 Extremely sorry for your loss!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ET80 Posted February 9, 2020 Share Posted February 9, 2020 9 hours ago, Zycho32 said: My dad just died today. I don't know when I'll be resuming this project. I don't know if I'll be resuming this project. I am feeling a level of pain I cannot even begin to comprehend. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. I know the pain, it's been eight years since my father passed away. Focus on you and your loved ones. We'll still be here if you want to resume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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