If Marino Played for the 49er, How Many SB Titles ? An Analysis | Page 3 | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

If Marino Played for the 49er, How Many SB Titles ? An Analysis

Austin Tatious said:
I love Shula but the drafting during Marino's heydey was worse than dismal. Danny would will teams to 8 wins that probably should have won 3 games.

Here are some 1st and 2nd round picks during Marino's heydey

1. Traded 2 two 1's for Hugh Green (hurt and a bust)
2. Lorenzo Hampton
3. Sammie Smith
4. Jay Brophy
5. Scott Schwedes
6. Jackie Shipp (traded up in 1984)
7. Overstreet was a number one pick who died tragically
8. Rick Graf
9. Eric Kumerow
10. John Bosa (injuries)
11. Billy Milner
12. Andrew Greene
13. Eddie Blake

These are 1st and second round picks. It was absolutely ridiculous. You don't have to hit on all of them, but they were whiffing badly. This, more than anything, really hurt Marino.

There were other bad moves like trading Anthony Carter (initially in the USFL) for not enough. Some mediocre third rounders on the DL: TJ Turner, Larry Webster
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Although not a player, the painful retention of Tom Olivadotti as D Coordinator did not help.
 
tommyp said:
shula's loyalty to tom olivadotti was the reason marino never won a sb. I watched every game of marino's career and i remember if the dolphins had a late lead and their defense was on the field for a final stop, i would actually hope for the other team to score quick to leave marino some time.. You knew they would score anyway so do it quick and marino would win it late. Why he kept olivadotti is my only complaint about shula
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yes!!!!

---------- Post added at 10:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:03 AM ----------
tommyp said:
Shula's loyalty to Tom Olivadotti was the reason Marino never won a SB. i watched every game of Marino's career and i remember if the dolphins had a late lead and their defense was on the field for a final stop, i would actually hope for the other team to score quick to leave marino some time.. You knew they would score anyway so do it quick and marino would win it late. why he kept olivadotti is my only complaint about Shula
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Q. Who is the best OC in Buffalo Bills history?

A. Tom Olivadotti
 
I shudder when I think about the '92 title game in which it seemed like the Bills ran 50 RB screens to Thomas and Davis and we just couldn't get off the field. Olividatti couldn't adjust in a game - ever. Every 2nd a short w him, you just hoped for a first down so that the D would get another set of downs to defend 10 yards. So pathetic.
 
SF Dolphin Fan said:
What it comes down to is football being a team sport. John Elway is a perfect example. He was absolutely horrible in his super bowl appearances before the Broncos got Terrell Davis and established a dominant running game. With Davis, Elway won two titles there.

Joe Montana was a perfect fit for Bill Walsh's offense that featured a short passing game and required an accurate passer. Montana was super. But, I'd guess Trent Dilfer or Jeff Hostettler win a couple of titles (maybe not three) with that talent around them. That's not to demean Montana, but SF was one of the best super bowl teams ever.

While Dan Marino's style was different from Montana's, I believe his success would have been similar. I always ranked Montana as the best quarterback of his era with Marino second. But I will say this for Marino he lifted the talent level on the Dolphins perhaps more than any quarterback could have.

Another poster mentioned that Miami's talent sometimes looked like maybe three wins, but they would hang in the playoff race. Not sure that Montana could have done that with the Dolphins. Of course we'll never know, but that's the kind of discussion that makes the football offseason less boring.
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It's one of those things that is obviously debatable...can never be proven...but is open to opinion and fun to talk about.

I have always stated that If Montana and Marino had gone to the opposite teams....Marino would still be in the hall of fame except with at least 5 rings...and Montana would not be in the hall.

I don't say this to demean Montana...but just as Bob Griese suffers some from critics who devalue him due to the high quality of the teams he enjoyed in the early 70's....Montana also enjoyed an extremely high level of talent and overall team strength that made a very good quarterback reach the conversations of greatest ever...even though I personally don't put him in that conversation.

I don't think Montana gets the 1984 Dolphins to Super Bowl 19 to play the Niners...who were an amazing team that nearly went undefeated with only one loss. Marino lifted a Dolphin team with the 19th ranked defense(out of 28)...and a pedistrian running game to that game.

To me...Montana was a somewhat higher level Bob Griese.

1983

If Marino had been drafted in 1983 by SanFrancisco and Montana by Miami in 1979...Marino may have challenged for a title in his rookie year, it would have been interesting. The Niners lost a lot close games that year finishing 10-6....and barely lost the NFC title game to Washington. Marino, even in his pro bowl rookie season...might have made a difference.

1984

No doubt in my mind Marino takes the 1984 Niners all the way...maybe undefeated. The Niners only loss was a 3 point loss to the Steelers...the same Steelers Marino waxed in the AFC Championship game 48-21 with his Dolphins

1985

This was the first of four consecutive seasons where Montana was either hurt(1986)...or had awful playoff performances which eliminated them. Montana had a 65.6 QB rating in their playoff loss with no touchdowns. Marino meanwhile was in his prime and led a less than amazing Dolphin team to 12-4 and to the brink of Super Bowl 20. Had Miami not turned the ball over 7 times(5 fumbles) they would have won this swan song for the Orange Bowl, and we get Ali-Frazier 2. Marino was in their heads, and was hungry from the previous years failure in Super Bowl 19...would have been great to see this rematch, odds are we lose this one...but Marino would have had a punchers chance(so to speak).

I think Marino has a chance with the Niners...and if he overcame the Bears in the NFC championship game another ring would have been his.

1986

Montana had a bad year, only played in 8 regular season games, getting hurt...threw more interceptions than touchdowns...yet, the Niners still went 10-5-1 and won their division with Jeff Kemp and Mike Morowski filling in. With Dan Marino throwing to Jerry Rice? The same Dan Marino who threw 44 touchdowns that year...he could have made the difference. If they get past the Giants in the wildcard game...I think they win it all.

1987

There was not much for Marino to improve on for Niners in the regular season as the Niners went 14-2 and Montana played very well, Jerry Rice in his prime. But in huge playoff upset to the 8 win Vikings...Montana was awful(funny how people forget this awful stretch of years of Montana in the playoffs)...I have to believe Marino leads this team all the way for at least his 2nd ring(potentially more).

1988

Niners win the Super Bowl...I have to believe Dan Marino in his prime leads them there as well for his 3rd ring.

1989

Niners win again...again, no doubt Dan Marino in his prime leads this 14-2 team there as well for his 4th ring.

1990

Niners fail to 3 peat losing by 2 points...I say Marino in his prime with Jerry Rice lifts them over the Giants in the NFC championship game and win it all....Marino gets his 5th ring.

1991

Montana is hurt...Young takes over and they go 10-6...fail to make the playoffs. It's debatable, but I give Marino and Rice a decent chance to beat Washington(the eventual champion) in the NFC playoffs and possibly 4 peat. But for the purposes of this subject...I'm not counting this one as a win...only a possibility.

1992

Steve Young takes over...Niners go 14-2 and look dominant...lose the NFC championship game 30-20 to Jimmy's Cowboys who go on to win their 1st. It would have been interesting to see Marino lead this powerhouse against the new powerhouse from Dallas...another possibility at least.

1993

Marino hurt.

1994

Marino rebounds strong off Achilles injury....Niners are powerful and overtake the Cowboys without Marino and win it all...so with him I think they still win it all...Marino gets his 6th and final ring.

That's my opinion....I really think those 85-87 years were also strong possibilities as Montana struggled in the playoffs.
 
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I think we could change Marino to "insert name" to a certain extent. Those niner teams were awesome.
 
royalshank said:
I shudder when I think about the '92 title game in which it seemed like the Bills ran 50 RB screens to Thomas and Davis and we just couldn't get off the field. Olividatti couldn't adjust in a game - ever. Every 2nd a short w him, you just hoped for a first down so that the D would get another set of downs to defend 10 yards. So pathetic.
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Worse for me was 1995. Game 15 the Bills trample the Dolphins with 208 yards rushing on 48 carries. Two weeks later in the first round of the playoffs, Miami starts the game in a NICKLE DEFENSE. They get absolutely steamrolled for 342 yards rushing on 52 carries. I was screaming at the TV, "WHY THE F**K ARE YOU RUNNING A NICKLE DEFENSE?!?!?!?"

The extra DB? Calvin Jackson, all 5'-9" and 185 lbs of him..... Un-F'n believable. Shula "resigned" 6 days later.

Weird fact about those two games - the time of possession was identical in the games - Miami 25:28, Buffalo - 34:32
 
I will certainly say that I think he would have won in 1989. Don't forget that the Super Bowl was held in Miami that year.



Edit: Wait. Are we talking about the Niners team being in Miami, or Marino playing in San Fran? Because I've just confused myself.
 
I wonder if Marino would have run Bill Walsh's offense the same way Montana did. I mean, I'm pretty darn sure Montana could not have done what Marino did in Miami from a passing perspective. If Marino was in SF, would the west coast offense have been the same? I guess from Dan's own accounts as far as "I want to pass all the time" he would have liked it.
 
VBCheeseGrater said:
I wonder if Marino would have run Bill Walsh's offense the same way Montana did. I mean, I'm pretty darn sure Montana could not have done what Marino did in Miami from a passing perspective. If Marino was in SF, would the west coast offense have been the same? I guess from Dan's own accounts as far as "I want to pass all the time" he would have liked it.
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I'm pretty sure Bill Walsh would have figured out how to use Marino...I remember watching a Dolphins game in tHe early 90's and listening to Walsh (who was broadcasting the game)...Marvel at his arm, release and accuracy.

I'm also pretty sure Dan Marino, with his accuracy, quick decision making and release could master the west coast offense....I also think he would have tore it up with Jerry Rice.
 
When Marino played wr could be hammered by db s with no flag. now dB's can t fart on wr without flag.. different era...makes what Dan did even more impressive
 
Austin Tatious said:
I love Shula but the drafting during Marino's heydey was worse than dismal. Danny would will teams to 8 wins that probably should have won 3 games.

Here are some 1st and 2nd round picks during Marino's heydey

1. Traded 2 two 1's for Hugh Green (hurt and a bust)
2. Lorenzo Hampton
3. Sammie Smith
4. Jay Brophy
5. Scott Schwedes
6. Jackie Shipp (traded up in 1984)
7. Overstreet was a number one pick who died tragically
8. Rick Graf
9. Eric Kumerow
10. John Bosa (injuries)
11. Billy Milner
12. Andrew Greene
13. Eddie Blake

These are 1st and second round picks. It was absolutely ridiculous. You don't have to hit on all of them, but they were whiffing badly. This, more than anything, really hurt Marino.

There were other bad moves like trading Anthony Carter (initially in the USFL) for not enough. Some mediocre third rounders on the DL: TJ Turner, Larry Webster
Click to expand...
the only good move here (on paper) was the Hugh Green trade - he was a beast on Tampa and probably the best pass rushing LB in the league behind Lawerence Taylor at the time. Of course, he blows out his knee as soon as he comes to us. Was so much slower after the injury and was never even close to the same player again. Shame.

PS: the rest of that list was hot garbage.
 
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