Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Everyone seems to be on the Vikings' side here, but John Elway was the league MVP (admittedly undeserved over Jerry Rice) and the Vikings were only 8-7 in the regular season. I think the Vikes' magic had to run out at some point, and unless Anthony Carter went off like he did against San Francisco, the Broncos should have pulled it out in San Diego.

Crazy Packers Fan wrote: ↑Sun Apr 27, 2025 1:50 pm Everyone seems to be on the Vikings' side here, but John Elway was the league MVP (admittedly undeserved over Jerry Rice) and the Vikings were only 8-7 in the regular season. I think the Vikes' magic had to run out at some point, and unless Anthony Carter went off like he did against San Francisco, the Broncos should have pulled it out in San Diego.

Again, MInny wasn't 8-7 but really 8-4. Yes, not juggernaut, but pretty good. And, again, they had a better non-scab record going into their finale than their opponent, Washington. They were 8-3 with Wash at 7-4.

Just the same, yes, maybe I shouldn't give the Vikings too much credit in this hypothetical. I still think they win, and not by a nail-biter. I still think Minny has a better chance to win this one than either against Denver in '98 or Colts in '09. But maybe I should give '87 Denver a bit more credit here. Yes, they would definitely have the advantage at QB. Vikings weren't a juggernaut and if Denver was favorite over Washington, they sure as heck would have been the favorite here as well.

Question I have, if Broncos do win in this hypo-SBXXII match, does their title get looked back upon as being...'tainted'?? A championship is a championship but, man...those powerhouses that were knocked out of the NFC for them! I'm guessing that only the '11 Giants would be seen as a lesser SB-champ.

It wouldn't have just been San Fran & Wash who Denver would have,,,"avoided". Despite they beating Chicago in their home MNF game against them, even the Bears - I think - would have beaten them in a hypo-SBXXII rematch had they actually, somehow got there. A bit paper-tiger-looking, especially with that late MNF blowout at Candlestick followed by the home convincer to Seattle, but I think they pull it off. Again, if they actually...get there. Especially if a healthy McMahon plays. Bears already having the experience of winning-it-all, just two years removed, Dan Reeves obvious not being at his best in SBs, and of course the "win it for Sweetness" factor with this being his final game...

I haven't mentioned the Saints yet. It's tough for me to invite them into this hypothetical with that 44-10 egg they laid in that Wild Card game. A great 10-2 non-scab regular season they had in that inaugural playoff year of theirs. Despite '87 being another strike year, I was excited over their surge, going into the playoffs on such high momentum. Nice enough stats though they really weren't quite dynamic, and posted some quality non-scab wins as well! I really wanted them to beat Minny! They force an early turnover deep in Vikings territory which they immediately turned into a TD to go up 7-0; but that's as good as it got. And then that cruel backbreaking TD bomb just before the half!

It, sadly, was a harbinger of their obvious post-season struggles to come as well as, perhaps, also being a sign that it would take them another three years just to get to that second (8-8) playoff berth! They should have beaten MInny going by what they did compared to them during the regular season. But if Saints do advance, I'm not sure they beat San Fran despite splitting with them or beat Joe Gibbs either. Honestly, I'm not even sure they would have beaten Chicago had they played them (both played in the final scab week). But if they, somehow, do make it to SBXXII, I don't see a reason for me to think Denver actually beats them, but who knows?

74_75_78_79_ wrote: ↑Sun Apr 27, 2025 4:25 pm I haven't mentioned the Saints yet. It's tough for me to invite them into this hypothetical with that 44-10 egg they laid in that Wild Card game. A great 10-2 non-scab regular season they had in that inaugural playoff year of theirs. Despite '87 being another strike year, I was excited over their surge, going into the playoffs on such high momentum. Nice enough stats though they really weren't quite dynamic, and posted some quality non-scab wins as well! I really wanted them to beat Minny! They force an early turnover deep in Vikings territory which they immediately turned into a TD to go up 7-0; but that's as good as it got. And then that cruel backbreaking TD bomb just before the half!

In regards to the Saints, the real hypothetical with them is what if Minnesota MISSED the playoffs (ie Dallas doesn't knock out the Cardinals)?

I highly doubt St. Louis beats them 44-10

CSKreager wrote: ↑Tue Apr 29, 2025 11:34 pm

74_75_78_79_ wrote: ↑Sun Apr 27, 2025 4:25 pm I haven't mentioned the Saints yet. It's tough for me to invite them into this hypothetical with that 44-10 egg they laid in that Wild Card game. A great 10-2 non-scab regular season they had in that inaugural playoff year of theirs. Despite '87 being another strike year, I was excited over their surge, going into the playoffs on such high momentum. Nice enough stats though they really weren't quite dynamic, and posted some quality non-scab wins as well! I really wanted them to beat Minny! They force an early turnover deep in Vikings territory which they immediately turned into a TD to go up 7-0; but that's as good as it got. And then that cruel backbreaking TD bomb just before the half!

In regards to the Saints, the real hypothetical with them is what if Minnesota MISSED the playoffs (ie Dallas doesn't knock out the Cardinals)?

I highly doubt St. Louis beats them 44-10

There was no reason at all for the Cards, with playoffs on the line, to have lost to a bad Dallas team. A big closing underachievement on StL's part.

However, had they gotten in, that would have been quite an injustice for Minny considering that those three scab defeats would have been the reason for them staying home. The Cards, 6-6 non-scab record as opposed to 8-4, were not at all as good as Minny nor as good as they'd be the following year, 'Year One' in the desert, during that 7-4 start.

Despite actually laying down, 44-10, in real-time to the Vikings, it's still difficult to see the Saints finding a way to not advance against StL. The Cards really didn't seem like they could have offered NO all that much. That should have to be seen as the Saints very best shot during that time to win a playoff game (then off to Chicago the following week).


1987...Minnesota beats St. Louis in the World Series, and in the NFL, Minnesota gets in the playoffs instead of St. Louis.