Lessons from History

[PonyExpress]

Once upon a time there was a QB whose team stood 5-6 after 11 games. In two of the previous 4 weeks his offense had failed to score even so much as a TD. His completion % that season was under 60%; he averaged less than 215 yards passing a game, and would throw only 18 TDs over his 14 regular season starts. It wasn't the first time this Qb had struggled; Only two years prior he had thrown more INTs than TDs, averaged only 1 TD pass per game, and there were whispers that his days were numbered, that he was overrated, and that it might be time to go to the backup. Once he had been considered a big time performer, but it had been 4 years since a playoff victory, and those defeats had been humiliating. The first two had been lost by the frightening combined score of 66-6, and in the last one, his team, heavily favored, had been blown out by an also-ran, at home, and said Qb had been benched in favor of an upstart. The year was 1988, and the Qb was Joe Montana. The 49ers won 5 of 6 to close the season and swept through the playoffs, culminating in a SB victory over Cincinnati. Cincinnati... what makes me think of them....

 

[skri65]

Thanks.

We needed that.

 

[kolbitr]

Amen, PonyExpress, you read my mind. I was considering a little research into the Montana angle myself. Excellent observation, and there would be plenty more examples should people wish to find them. The 49er playoff loss to the Giants was particularly shattering and embarrassing (49-3, Montana knocked out by Burt, LT interception TD)...yet surprisingly Walsh and Montana stayed together for a bit longer, won two more Super Bowls, and cemented the notion of the Dynasty.

History, people. It's what's for breakfast.

 

[Michigan Dave]

Amen, PonyExpress, you read my mind. I was considering a little research into the Montana angle myself. Excellent observation, and there would be plenty more examples should people wish to find them. The 49er playoff loss to the Giants was particularly shattering and embarrassing (49-3, Montana knocked out by Burt, LT interception TD)...yet surprisingly Walsh and Montana stayed together for a bit longer, won two more Super Bowls, and cemented the notion of the Dynasty.

History, people. It's what's for breakfast.

Siefert won Montana's last SB, but point taken.

 

[kolbitr]

Siefert won Montana's last SB, but point taken.

Oops...of course you're right. And yet, as you concur, it was the same team that blew out the Broncos as squeaked by the Bengals the previous year...(Walsh left just one year too early, methinks).

 

[ironwasp]

Oops...of course you're right. And yet, as you concur, it was the same team that blew out the Broncos as squeaked by the Bengals the previous year...(Walsh left just one year too early, methinks).

It was still more or less a Bill Walsh triumph even if he had gone ayear earlier, the team he built won that Superbowl whereas by the time Superbowl XXIX came around it was Seifert's team.

From a neutral perspective, which is pretty much what we were in a 5-11 year, that was a wonderful team to watch. I remember those two Superbowls as well as any from the pre-Patriots dynasty era and on the days they ran hot, they were utterly unstoppable, comparable probably better than any team in NFL history IMHO.

I just spent some time looking up the history and to my amazement discovered that Seifert had a better overall record than Walsh.

1989-1996 George Seifert 108-35-0
1979-1988 Bill Walsh 102-63-1

Looking at what's followed I daresay the 49er faithful would have either of these guys back - maybe even Steve Mariucci. Then again, maybe not.

2004-present Mike Nolan 6-26-0
2003-2004 Dennis Erickson 9-23-0
1997-2002 Steve Mariucci 59-41-0

 

[PatsRI]

Since we're talking history just a look back at some W/L records after week 4 for the Pats:

1985 2-2 make it to Super Bowl
1996 2-2 make it to Super Bowl
2001 1-3 win Super Bowl
2003 2-2 win Super Bowl

 

[Krugman]

Very good post,PE.