Best NFL Team ever ?

[ilduce06410]

the time machine

That was a great team with a lot of HOFers, but, as others have been saying, players now are bigger, faster and stronger. That Pittsburgh team had two linebackers that played at 225 and 215 pounds (Ham and Lambert respectively). Today, they'd have to bulk up, or play safety, or not make the team, any team. You really have to compare teams within a period of 10 - 15 years or so, I think.

Another thing, the best pash rusher on the early great 49er teams, probably also best of his time, Fred Dean, weighed about 225 pounds, at DE.

your point is only a consideration for "greatest" teams in football, i think. i'd be comfortable putting john havlicek on the floor with jordan, nate archibald with allan iverson. luke jackson of 1967 could easily pug with ben wallace. chamberlain-shaq would be memorable.
it's ok in baseball and in hockey, with some changes in equipment.
but in football, you have this size/speed question.
was ray nitshcke a lesser player than mike singletary? raymond berry vs michael irvin? jim parker vs orlando pace? tom landry vs ed reed?
for me, if those guys from the '50s and '60s played today, they wouldnd't BE the part-time undertrained guys they were then. first, they'd work year-round 'cause they could afford to. they wowuldn't be selling cars in the off season. second, they'd use the weight programs that modern-day athletes are. third, they'd have 21st century nutrition practices. fourth, they wouldn't have had half-assed training from part-time coaches in college.
raymond berry would have run a 4.5. nitschke would have been 2 steps quicker at 250 lbs. jim parker would have been a solid 300 lbs.
i don't think you can fairly compare yesterdays players with today's people unless you update the ENVIRONMENT athletes played in in the '50s, '60, and '70s. not their skills, or athletic ability, just their standard of living and training.
i think that's reasonable when you look at mike garrett vs tiki barber, or jack ham vs mike vrabel.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

Walter Payton was the greatest all-around RB this league has ever seen.

I'd have to say Jim Brown. People remember him as a power back, but he could also outrun any and all of the defensive backs of his time. > 5 yards per carry lifetime. It's too bad salaries weren't that good back then, or he might not have retired early for a career in Hollywood and a shot at Raquel Welch.

 

[BigEZPatsFan76]

win was over the roger staubach cowboys, 35-31, in a great game at the rose bowl.

Actually, that SuperBowl (XIII) was played in the Orange Bowl im Miami.


EZ76

 

[PYPER]

A good question is Who is the best team to NOT win a SB?

Interestingly enough, the Patriots have beaten two of them.

2001 Saint Louis Rams
2004 Pittsburgh Steelers

The 1996 Denver Broncos also are right there.

 

[Kdo5]

Without a doubt I go with the 2003 New England Patriots. Why not some of the earlier dynasties? Why not the Dolphins when they went undefeated. Its simple the Dolphins had a cake walk schedule that year. The Patriots of 03 were just dominant. They were just as good as any other team you could name. After losing to the Red Skins, how about racking up 12 in a row against some very tough opponents, like the Titans, like the Colts, like the Cowboys. The defense that year was incredible we had some great young standouts like Wilson and Samuel along with Ty Law and Rodney Harrison. It isnt an easy thing to win so many games in a row and stroll right to the Superbowl and win it. The Pats did it in 03.