What-if '67-thru-'69 NFL stayed the two-conference format?

[74_75_78_79_]

No CCCC, 4-4-4-4.

What-ifs are unpopular here for the most part though more-than-enough are happy to take the bait (I'm ONE of them, adding that jelly to the otherwise plain PBS). Some what-ifs are quite palatable. Even to those who normally detest them. I think this one is a good example (we'll see by how many respond to this).

This strong and long ongoing '67 Browns 'Blues' thread that's brilliantly spearheaded by Saban1 inspires this (think of the opening piano chord to "Hillstreet"). I think I'm not good enough to even participate in that one. Too much super-strong comprehensive detail-oriented knowledge droppings all around at-hand there. A great book on the '67 Browns may have already, accidentally, been written!

But maybe I can start a 'satellite' thread from that very one. Basically, who do you think wins each conference (possible tie-breaker games) in such an event and LCG thus represents the NFL in SBs II-thru-IV?

I guess Saints would get placed in the Western.

'67...I'm sure some will opine that Rams & Colts would finish ahead of Lombadi's Packers in the Western. GB 'only' finished 9-4-1 in '67 in real-time. But, of course, the Pack had their little division wrapped up with two games to go. Had they already known all-along and ahead of time that they'd have to win this bigger Western division to get in, maybe they stay with both regular season powerhouses and actually still finish atop. Or maybe a tie-breaker situation; or a three-team (what almost happened in '57) one!

My guess is that will be the 'heart' of such a late-'60s two-conferences what-if!

Colts/Dallas '68 NFLCG sure-enough everyone's guess!

[Saban1]

For 1967, I think it would have been either the Rams or Colts in the west, but Green Bay could have beaten Pittsburgh in their final regular season game if they needed the win. Also, they would have played both the Rams and Colts another time and the games would have been in Green Bay. The Packers were in a cinch division and did not really need to win those games against the Rams and Colts although they almost did.

Maybe Vince would have had his players higher up against their main division rivals if the Western Conference stayed the same as the year before. I guess that it is hard to know what would have happened, but I think that it probably would have been the Rams or the Colts in 1967. Dallas in the east that year.

!968 the Colts and Cowboys.

1969 Minnesota and Cleveland. I believe that the Browns would have given the Vikings a better game if they did not have to play Dallas the week before.

BTW, thanks for the nice words about my 1967 Browns thread.

[74_75_78_79_]

For 1967, I think it would have been either the Rams or Colts in the west, but Green Bay could have beaten Pittsburgh in their final regular season game if they needed the win. Also, they would have played both the Rams and Colts another time and the games would have been in Green Bay. The Packers were in a cinch division and did not really need to win those games against the Rams and Colts although they almost did.

Maybe Vince would have had his players higher up against their main division rivals if the Western Conference stayed the same as the year before. I guess that it is hard to know what would have happened, but I think that it probably would have been the Rams or the Colts in 1967. Dallas in the east that year.

!968 the Colts and Cowboys.

1969 Minnesota and Cleveland. I believe that the Browns would have given the Vikings a better game if they did not have to play Dallas the week before.

BTW, thanks for the nice words about my 1967 Browns thread.

You're welcome, Saban1!

Regular-season-wise, the Rams & Colts in '67 each have the edge over the Pack. So GB would have little room for error in a season-long conference race with the two. But I think it would have been doable for Vince & Co. They, to me, at least split with LA & Balt; but of course they'd have to win the other games that the two would win. Again, no room for error. If GB would be scheduled against one of the two for the finale, and it'd be a play-in game, I'd take the Packers all day and all of the night no matter where the game would be played! Same with if they play either, or both, in a tie-breaker! But, again, they'd have to keep up with them to the very end...or come up just short, even if by a single game which, to me, would likely be the margin in such a failure.

In '68, the aforementioned Colts/Cowboys game would have been played in the Cotton Bowl. I think Baltimore still takes it (heck, if they clobbered the Browns at Cleveland in real-time). But even if Big D does pull it off, IMO they still lose to the Jets in SBIII; and likely by more than a TD as well (maybe still a 16-7 final, but just that Dallas's TD aren't the last points scored).