The All-Time NFL Season

[TheLaw1989]

For decades, football fans have debated the question of who the greatest NFL team of all-time was. The Steel Curtain? Bill Walsh’s 49ers? The 1972 Dolphins? The debate has raged. Now, we finally have an opportunity to settle the debate. The Football Gods have created an alternate universe in which the greatest teams in the history of each NFL franchise can be reproduced, just as they were in their prime. All 32 NFL franchises can choose one team to represent them in the NFL All-Time Tournament. The champion will be known throughout the land as the undisputed greatest professional football team in history.

A Primer:

-Each franchise has one team, and only one team. Everyone from the Steelers to the Texans will be represented by one team from their history.
-The team exists exactly as it did the year they played. Players are the same age and skill level that they were that season.
-No teams from before 1960 were eligible to compete. This was done mostly for simplicity, as creating teams from that era is very difficult due to lack of information, the size of players, and the drastic changes in offensive and defensive strategy that have occurred since then.
-We will be using NFL rules as of 2009. Instant replay, sudden death overtime, ect.
-No trades or free agent signings will be allowed. Injuries will be turned off (only way to preserve the integrity of the rosters, though I may reconsider this later).
-The game is Madden 10. The system is XBox 360. We will be using the 2009 NFL schedule, because that's the schedule in the game.

And now, the teams that will be competing:

NFC East
Dallas Cowboys-1995
New York Giants- 1986
Philadelphia Eagles-2004
Washington Redskins-1991

NFC North
Chicago Bears-1985
Detroit Lions-1991
Green Bay Packers-1962
Minnesota Vikings-1998

NFC South
Atlanta Falcons-1998
Carolina Panthers-2003
New Orleans Saints-2009
Tampa Bay Buccaneers-2002

NFC West
Arizona Cardinals-2008
San Francisco 49ers-1989
Seattle Seahawks-2005
St. Louis Rams-1999

AFC East
Buffalo Bills-1990
Miami Dolphins-1972
New York Jets-1968
New England Patriots-2007

AFC North
Baltimore Ravens-2000
Cleveland Browns-1965
Cincinnati Bengals-1988
Pittsburgh Steelers-1978

AFC South
Houston Texans-2009
Indianapolis Colts-2006
Jacksonville Jaguars-1999
Tennessee Titans-1999

AFC West
Denver Broncos-1998
Kansas City Chiefs-1969
Oakland Raiders-1976
San Diego Chargers-2006


Next: An overview of the teams competing in this season, and further explanation of exactly what this franchise will entail.

[TheLaw1989]

Week One Preview:

Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers

-The NFL season kicks off with what should be a physical battle between two blue-collar teams. Tennessee will try to control the clock by running with Eddie George, but they will face a difficult challenge in the Steel Curtain. Blocking Hall of Famers Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, and Jack Ham will not be easy. If the Titans cannot run and Steve McNair is forced to make plays through the air, they will be in serious trouble. If they can move the ball on the ground, they will have a fighting chance. The key for the Titans on defense will be to pressure Terry Bradshaw and prevent him from getting off long passes to Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. If the Titans defense can contain the Steelers passing game and control the ball, they will have a fighting chance. If not, the Steelers will be victorious. Ultimately, Pittsburgh's offense should be too much for the Titans defense, and McNair will not be able to do it all on his own.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 24, Tennessee 14

Miami Dolphins at Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons open their season seeking to become the first team in history to beat the 1972 Dolphins. Doing so will likely require Atlanta to step outside of its comfort zone. The Falcons prefer to focus on running with Jamal Anderson. But running on the Dolphins is a difficult task. A superior strategy would probably be to spread the field with multiple wide receivers and throw. Chris Chandler is a solid, veteran quarterback, and the game will likely be decided by his ability to make plays through the air. For the Dolphins, the strategy will be simple: run the ball with Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris, and Jim Kiick, and then go over the top to Paul Warfield. Ultimately, the Dolphins should be able to shut down the Falcons offense and score enough points to get the win.

Prediction: Miami 28, Atlanta 10

Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals

An interesting match-up. Both teams have balanced offenses and defenses built around a few key playmakers. The key to the game will be Cincinnati's ability to stop Terrell Davis and the Broncos running game. If Denver can run the ball effectively, they are unbeatable. John Elway will be able to find Shannon Sharpe, Rod Smith, and Ed McCaffrey open down the field. If Cincy stops the run, they will most likely win. My prediction? Denver's offense line is just too good for the Bengals front seven. Denver will move the ball on the ground, control the clock, and make a few big plays through the air.

Prediction: Denver 31, Cincinnati 17

Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns

A clash of the generations, as the 1990s battle the 1960s. Interestingly, these are two of the best teams to not win a championship, as Cleveland was defeated by Green Bay in the 1965 NFL Championship Game and Minnesota fell to Atlanta in the 1998 NFC Championship. Cleveland's defense is decent, but it is hard to imagine them being able to hang with Randy Moss, Chris Carter, and Jake Reed. Minnesota should come out throwing long to put up points early, get Cleveland in a hole, and then kill the clock with Robert Smith. Cleveland needs to do the opposite: keep the game close, run the ball with Jim Brown, and keep the Vikings off the field on offense. If Brown and the Browns can move the ball on the ground, the game will be competitive. Otherwise, Minnesota will simply overwhelm them through the air.

Prediction: Minnesota 35, Cleveland 21

Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts

The Colts powerful offense faces the Jaguars, a balanced team with playmakers on both offense and defense. The Colts will do what they do best: attack through the air with Peyton Manning. The Jags lack the talent in the secondary to stop Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, and Dallas Clark, so they will have to rely on pressure from their front seven. The Colts will need Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis to put the heat on Mark Brunell if they are going to keep Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell from getting downfield. The matchup to watch is Dwight Freeney vs. Tony Boselli. All Pro Left Tackle vs. All Pro Defensive End. If Boselli can give Brunell time to throw, the Jags should score enough points to keep it close. Ultimately, the Jags will hang with Indy but won't be able to contain the Colts offense.

Prediction: Indianapolis 38, Jacksonville 31

Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints

Simply, the Lions defense is going to struggle against the Saints offense. If the Lions are going to win, they are going to need to force a few turnovers and make big plays through the air. Barry Sanders will be great, as he always is, but the Lions can't run if they are down by multiple touchdowns. Jerry Ball needs to collapse the pocket and pressure Drew Brees. If the Lions can force a few errant throws, they'll be in the game in the fourth quarter. If the Lions want to contend in the NFC North, they need to win games like this. My guess? The Saints will simply score too many points.

Prediction: New Orleans 42, Detroit 24

Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa's great defense will get a test against the Cowboys. Warren Sapp and company will need to bring their A-Games if they want to contain the Cowboys. Perhaps more important, they will need to score points. Keyshawn Johnson is unlikely to be able to get open against Deion Sanders, so the burden will fall on Keenan McCardell and Joe Jurivicius. On the other side of the ball, the Cowboys should focus on running with Emmitt Smith and play conservatively rather than risk throwing downfield against Tampa's great pass defense. This should be a low scoring affair. I expect Tampa to pull the upset in a low scoring game.

Prediction: Tampa Bay 17, Dallas 14

Carolina Panthers at Philadelphia Eagles

Two teams that saw their seasons end in the Super Bowl at the hands of the Patriots. Philly has the better quarterback, and the running backs, offensive lines, and wide receivers are equal, giving the Eagles an edge on offense. The defenses are about equal, probably with a small edge for Carolina. This looks like a close game, and the edge has to go to Carolina, a team that consistently pulled out wins in close games in 2003.

Prediction: Carolina 24, Philadelphia 21

Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens

Two great defenses go at it. Neither team should be expected to score too many points. The game will be decided by which team's offense can consistently move the ball and score points, no easy task against these two defenses. My pick is Kansas City, simply because Len Dawson is a better quarterback than Trent Dilfer and should be able to make more plays.

Prediction: Kansas City 13, Baltimore 10

New York Jets at Houston Texans

Two teams that many expect to struggle face off. The Texans desperately need a win to gain some confidence and momentum. The Jets cannot afford to lose to one of the weakest teams in the league if they want to contend in the AFC East. Andre Johnson needs to be spectacular if the Texans are going to get it down. In the end, Johnson and Mario Williams are more explosive than anyone on the Jets roster, so I see Houston pulling a major upset and starting the season off with a win.

Prediction: Houston 28, New York 17

Washington Redskins at New York Giants

Critical battle in the NFC East in week one. The Giants tough defense will keep the Redskins off the scoreboard, and the Giants offense should be able to move the ball well enough to put some points up. Washington needs to force turnovers and make big plays on special teams to set up short fields, because they won't be putting together long drives on the Giants defense. The Giants home field advantage should make the difference in a close game.

Prediction: Giants 28, Redskins 24

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals are going to need a lot of points if they are going to hang with the 49ers. The Cardinals defense is simply no match for Montana, Rice, and Craig. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin will make some big plays, but not enough to get a victory here against on of the best teams in the NFL.

Prediction: San Francisco 38, Arizona 24

St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks

Tough game for Seattle. The Rams are as good an offense as any in the league. The best way to stop the Rams is to pressure Kurt Warner and disrupt their timing patterns. Luckily, the Seahawks boast in impressive pass rush. The Seahawks should be able to hang in the game with their pass rush, crowd noise, and solid rushing game. Ultimately, this game will be decided by who makes plays through the air. Do you trust Kurt Warner, Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, and Marshall Faulk or Matt Hasselbeck and his crew of mediocre receivers? I'm going with the crew of future Hall of Famers.

Prediction: St. Louis 31, Seattle 28

Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers

Week one's game of the week. Two of the best teams in the NFC clash in a historic rivalry. The Packers have the better quarterback, the Bears have the better running back, the Packers have better receivers and a better offensive line. Chicago has a better defensive line and linebackers, Green Bay has a better secondary. Seems like an even match-up. The Bears 46 defense thrives on loading up the box to stop the run and getting to opposing passers before they can get long passes off. Green Bay is likely to struggle on offense. Chicago will depend on Walter Payton to chew up the clock and move the chains. Jim McMahon needs to be smart and not take unnecessary chances, or Willie Wood and Herb Adderley will make him pay. If McMahon takes care of the ball, Chicago should be able to pull it out. My guess? McMahon makes a critical mistake and Green Bay wins a close one.

Prediction: Green Bay 24, Chicago 17

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots

A shoot out between two very similar offenses. New England's passing game is unparalleled, but Buffalo is a close as anyone to matching them. New England's defense is probably better, although they lack any individual player as disruptive as Bruce Smith for the Bills. The Pats will score a lot of points. No one on the Bills can cover either Randy Moss or Wes Welker. If the Bills sit back in coverage, Moss will beat them deep. If they blitz, Brady will find Welker underneath. Buffalo has to go punch for punch with New England, and that will require strong games from both Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas. Ultimately, New England will simply be too much for Buffalo, though I expect the Bills to surprise a lot of teams this season.

Prediction: New England 38, Buffalo 24

Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers

Statement game for the Chargers. They are one of only two teams in the league that failed to win a single playoff game. They can put any questions about their team to rest if they can knock off John Madden's Raiders. The key player? Shawne Merriman. He needs to get past Art Shell and pressure Ken Stabler, or Stabler will find Cliff Branch, Fred Bilitnikoff, and Dave Casper deep. The Chargers are a tough, physical team on offense and should be able to run the ball on Oakland. They need someone other than Antonio Gates to step up in the passing game if they want to score enough points to win. My pick? San Diego manages to pull the upset behind a big performance from Tomlinson rushing and receiving.

Prediction: San Diego 21, Oakland 20





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[hockeyplaya2724]

Very cool idea, I can't wait to see who the champ is

[TheLaw1989]

An overview of what this franchise will entail:

-For this run through, I will not be controlling any particular team. I will be playing games that I find particularly interesting, probably one or two each week. I will primarily focus on conveying the results of the games each week, which will be the most interesting part. With that, week one's game will be:

Monday Night Football: Oakland Raiders vs. San Diego Chargers

Results coming later.

[TheLaw1989]

Preview for 1976 Raiders vs. 2006 Chargers:

Quarterbacks: Ken Stabler vs. Phillip Rivers. Stabler is a Hall of Fame quarterback in his prime. Rivers is a future All Pro quarterback in his first year as a starter. Rivers was solid in 2006, throwing 22 touchdown passes and only nine interceptions. Stabler completed 66% of his passes in 1976 and threw 27 touchdowns against 17 interceptions. Both are solid options, but Stabler's experience gives him the advantage.

Edge: Raiders

Running Backs: No contest. The Chargers have future Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson, future Pro Bowler Michael Turner backing him up, and Darren Sproles backing up Turner. Seriously, that's one of the best groups of backs ever. Add in a Pro Bowl blocking fullback in Lorenzo Neal and you can see why the Chargers led the league in rushing in 2006. The Raiders have a 1,000 yard rusher in fullback Mark van Eeghen, but he can't compare to Tomlinson, who was league MVP in 2006.

Edge: Chargers

Wide Receivers: Fred Biletnikoff is in the Hall of Fame, though he was 33 in 1976 and only had 500 yards receiving. The top receiver for the Raiders is Cliff Branch, one of the greatest deep threats in NFL history. Branch was named First Team All Pro in 1976 as he posted over 1,100 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns on only 46 receptions (24.2 ypc!). Add in Hall of Fame tight end Dave Casper and you have a truly great group of receivers. The Chargers have Antonio Gates, who will likely be joining Casper and Biletnikoff in the Hall of Fame some day, and not much else. Tomlinson is the #2 target for the Chargers, and Sproles might well be #3. Their starting receivers are a washed-up Keenan McCardell and rookie Vincent Jackson, who was not yet the dominant force he would become in a few years. Big advantage for the Raiders.

Edge: Raiders

Offensive Lines: The Raiders have one of the greatest left sides in history, with Hall of Fame left tackle Art Shell and Hall of Fame left guard Gene Upshaw. The Chargers sent left tackle Marcus McNeil and center Nick Hardwick to the Pro Bowl, but they really can't compare to two all-time greats like Upshaw and Shell.

Edge: Raiders

Defensive Lines: Both teams primarily utilize three man fronts. Chargers nose tackle Jamal Williams was named First Team All Pro in 2006, and Igor Olshansky and Luis Castillo are both solid players. The Raiders line is unspectacular, as only defensive end Otis Sistrunk was ever named to a Pro Bowl. Williams give the Chargers the advantage.

Edge: Chargers

Linebackers: The Raiders have Hall of Famer Ted Hendricks. The Chargers have Shawne Merriman, who had one of the greatest pass rushing seasons in NFL history in 2006. Merriman recorded 17 sacks in only 12 games on his way to being named First Team All Pro. Of course, it helped that he was using ridiculous amounts of steroids, and it probably casts a shadow on his legacy that he's completely sucked ever since. But in 2006, he was a pass rushing force equivalent to Lawrence Taylor. Merriman is joined by the underrated Shaun Phillips, who recorded 11.5 sacks in 2006. Donnie Edwards and Randall Godfrey, both solid veterans, start in the middle and fill out a very good group. For the Raiders, outside linebacker Phil Villapiano made the Pro Bowl in '76, one of four Pro Bowls in his career. Monte Johnson and Willie Hall fill out the corps. Tough call, but Merriman is simply too good to not give an edge to the Chargers.

Advantage: Chargers

Defensive Backs: For the Raiders, Willie Brown is 36 and at the end of a Hall of Fame career. He is joined by brutal hitters Jack Tatum and George Atkinson, who feast on opposing receivers reaching for errant passes over the middle. Tatum is best known for paralyzing Patriots receiver Daryll Stingley and showing absolutely no remorse. Lesson: don't go over the middle against Jack Tatum. The Chargers have Quentin Jammer, who is always solid but never spectacular, and Antonio Cromartie, who is sometimes spectacular and often terrible. Despite Brown's age, he's as solid in coverage as Jammer, and the hitting of Atkinson and Tatum gives the advantage to the Raiders.

Edge: Raiders

Special Teams: Nate Kaeding kicks for the Chargers and made the Pro Bowl in 2006. Mike Scifres has consistently been one of the best punters in the NFL. The Raiders have Errol Mann at kicker. He made less than half his kicks in 1976, which wasn't even the worst year of his career. However, the Raiders also have Ray Guy, the undisputed greatest punter of all-time. Michael Turner was a solid kick returner for the Chargers. I like the Chargers, simply because they lack a weakness on special teams. If the Raiders need to make a kick to win, look out.

Edge: Chargers

Coaches: John Madden coaches the Raiders, Marty Schottenheimer is head man for the Chargers. Madden has the best win percentage of any NFL coach. He won a Super Bowl and coached in another. Schottenheimer's teams almost always enjoyed success in the regular season, but consistently struggled to win in the playoffs. The '06 Chargers were no exception. Have to go with Madden. After all, it's his game we're playing.

Edge: Raiders
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[TheLaw1989]

Week One Results:

Pittsburgh 13, Tennessee 10

Baltimore 34, Kansas City 23

Houston 27, New York Jets 21 (OT)

Cleveland 31, Minnesota 24

Philadelphia 15, Carolina 10

Indianapolis 19, Jacksonville 13

Denver 31, Cincinnati 28 (OT)

Tampa 23, Dallas 13

New Orleans 33, Detroit 21

Miami 20, Atlanta 13

Seattle 28, St. Louis 17

New York Giants 17, Washington 10

San Francisco 34, Arizona 17

Green Bay 42, Chicago 20

New England 44, Buffalo 14

Oakland at San Diego Summary:

Both teams punted on their first possessions before the Raiders managed to put together a drive with culminated in nine-yard touchdown pass to Fred Biletnikoff, giving the Raiders a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. A second touchdown pass from Stabler to Biletnikoff made it 14-0 Raiders midway through the second quarter. The Chargers managed to get on the board with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Phillip Rivers to Keenan McCardell, cutting the deficit to 14-7 at halftime.

The teams traded field goals in the third quarter, as Nate Keading connected from 23 and 28 yards and Earl Mann hit from 50 yards out. Those scores made it 20-13 Oakland heading into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter is where the fireworks took place. The Raiders appeared to have the game in hand when Stabler found Dave Casper for a seven yard touchdown and a 27-13 lead. San Diego was forced to punt, but their defense managed to stop the Raiders. Darren Sproles proceeded to return the ensuing punt 61 yards for a touchdown and cut the lead to 27-20. The Raiders offense stalled again, and LaDainian Tomlinson ripped off a 51 yard touchdown to tie the game at 27-27 with 6:19 left. The Raiders got the lead back when Matt van Eeghen took a handoff and ran through an enormous hole to score from 69 yards out right up the middle. Oakland would add a short touchdown run by Clarence Davis to win comfortably, 41-27.

Stats:

Ken Stabler: 22/40, 243 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Phillip Rivers: 18/36, 171 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT

LaDainian Tomlinson: 11 carries, 102 yards
Michael Turner: 5 carries, 12 yards
Clarence Davis: 16 carries, 43 yards, 1 TD
Pete Banaszak: 12 carries, 44 yards
Max van Eeghen: 4 carries, 82 yards, 1 TD

Fred Biletnikoff: 8 receptions, 107 yards, 2 TD
Cliff Branch: 5 receptions, 65 yards
Morris Bradshaw: 3 receptions, 26 yards
Warren Bankston: 2 receptions, 20 yards
Dave Casper: 2 receptions, 13 yards, 1 TD

Eric Parker: 4 receptions, 32 yards
Keenan McCardell: 4 receptions, 42 yards
Vincent Jackson: 4 receptions, 30 yards
Antonio Gates: 3 receptions, 29 yards
Kassim Osgood: 2 receptions, 16 yards

Donnie Edwards: 9 tackles
Marlon McCree: 7 tackles
Shaun Phillips: 7 tackles, 1 sack
Randall Godfrey: 4 tackles, 1 sack
Shawne Merriman: 3 tackles, 1.5 sacks

Willie Hall: 8 tackles
Ted Hendricks: 7 takcles
Phil Villapiano: 4 tackles, 1 sack
Ottis Sistrunk: 3 tackles, 2 sacks
Desmond Bryant: 3 tackles, 1 sack
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