No '84 Dolphins? Is Gil Brandt

[royalshank]

An asshat?

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...offenses-99-rams-07-patriots-13-broncos-reign

The '84 team averaged more points per game, more yards per game than some of these offenses he listed ahead - heck, they didn't even get honorable mention. Was he in a coma in '84?

Points For: 513 (32.1/g) 1st of 28
Passing yards per game: 321.6
Rushing yards per game: 119.8

This was one of the most potent offenses of all time - before all the rule changes and they still hold up w the recent ones he lists. And he has the '90 Bills and even '83 skins listed but no '84 fins. What am I missing?

 

[gregorygrant83]

The 83 Redkins (33.8) scored more points per game than the 84 Dolphins (32.1).

 

[royalshank]

The 83 Redkins (33.8) scored more points per game than the 84 Dolphins (32.1).

how are the '90 Bills at 26 PPG or one of those Denver teams ahead? This is a huge miss as this offense was ahead of its time.

And YPP - which Brandt touts - are lower or tied w Miami's 6.5 for everyone on that list.

 

[spiketex]

Relax RoyalShank. Gil Brandt is 83 years old and his bio goes back a long way. He started working for the LA Rams back in 1955 (i.e. 62 years ago). I sometimes hear him on Sirius NFL Radio and he has good days and bad days. A few years ago he was tirelessly pimping Johnny Manziel to be the #1 player drafted and vouched for his excellent character.
If old Gil doesn't rate the '84 Dolphins, I wouldn't worry too much, we know he's wrong. He's still in denial that the Cowboys got knocked out of the playoffs this past season.

 

[royalshank]

Relax RoyalShank. Gil Brandt is 83 years old and his bio goes back a long way. He started working for the LA Rams back in 1955 (i.e. 61 years ago). I sometimes hear him on Sirius NFL Radio and he has good days and bad days. A few years ago he was tirelessly pimping Johnny Manziel to be the #1 player drafted and vouched for his excellent character.
If old Gil doesn't rate the '84 Dolphins, I wouldn't worry too much, we know he's wrong. He's still in denial that the Cowboys got knocked out of the playoffs this past season.

Knew he was old but didn't think he was that old. Ok, well, I guess kudos to him for still being active in the game. Man that '84 offense was potent. Too bad we drew the 15-1 niners - one of the best single-season teams ever.

 

[Awsi Dooger]

The 83 Redkins (33.8) scored more points per game than the 84 Dolphins (32.1).

Maybe both were punished for being blown out in the Super Bowl while not scoring many points.

Who knows? Overall it's a good list but I understand being annoyed at a couple of omissions.

I noticed others as well. The 1994 49ers got rolling in midseason and crushed virtually everyone in their path from that point forward, including the playoffs. Before I turned around they had 21 first quarter points on the 2-time defending champ Cowboys in the NFC title game. Then it carried over in the monkey game against San Diego in the Super Bowl.

The Saints from 2009 seemingly deserve a place also. They were unbeaten at 13-0 with a dominant offense before hitting a lull in the final three regular season games once everything was locked up. Then they regrouped in the playoffs with 30+ in every game, although it's true one of the Super Bowl touchdowns was the pivotal interception return against Peyton Manning.

 

[gregorygrant83]

One thing that might hurt the 84 Dolphins is that 90% of the success was tied to one player. Well maybe not 90%, but most of it was completely due to Marino. The team didn't have much of a running game. The tight ends and reserve receivers were effective but nothing spectacular. The show was all Marino, Duper and Clayton with some decent supporting characters. I think the only Hall of Famers on that offense are Marino and Dwight Stephenson.

 

[Awsi Dooger]

Gil Brandt was the most famous personnel guy when I started following the draft. Actually long before that. He was credited with many innovations. When the Cowboys in that era made a surprise move in the draft it was always greeted with respect, while if another team had drafted the same guy in the same spot there would have been ridicule. Brandt earned a reputation of uncovering small college gems, drafting the best player instead of focusing on need, projecting great athletes from other sports into football, and using innovative tests instead of solely the 40 yard dash and weight lifting bottom line.

I'm glad Gil Brandt is still around and involved. Everyone in the Cowboys organization was famous in those days, and carried plenty of aura. The rest are long gone, like Tex Schramm and Tom Landry.

The most interesting aspect I saw in that list was that he didn't use any team from the era of his heyday with the Cowboys. The most dated team is the '83 Redskins.

Oh, I see he did list the 1994 49ers in his "also receiving votes" category, or whatever it was. That team was the one that jumped out at me as belonging on the list. They were the largest betting favorite in Super Bowl history after all. And covered despite allowing 26 points.

 

['Deep]

Nothing before '90? No '84 Dolphins not on that list is a joke. So are the '80 Air Coryell Chargers. Those teams played in an era where DBs could man handle receivers til the ball was in the air. And still, Marino and Fouts destroyed the record books. I'd put some of those receivers from that era among any playing today: Marks Bros, Jefferson (later Wes Chandler), Joiner, Winslow. They would've tore it up today. Maybe Gil can't remember that far back....

Just saw that the '98 Vikings didn't make the list. Wow

 

[royalshank]

One thing that might hurt the 84 Dolphins is that 90% of the success was tied to one player. Well maybe not 90%, but most of it was completely due to Marino. The team didn't have much of a running game. The tight ends and reserve receivers were effective but nothing spectacular. The show was all Marino, Duper and Clayton with some decent supporting characters. I think the only Hall of Famers on that offense are Marino and Dwight Stephenson.

Actually, Nat Moore was a former all-pro who had a rejuvenation when Marino came along, and Jimmy Cefalo was no slouch. While the team didn't have a great RB, they had 3 that went for around 500-600 yards each and amassed a not to shabby 1900+ rushing on the year. Remember, they were blowing people out every week so they did put up the rushing yards to the tune of a respectable 119 per game. This team also had TEs Jensen, Hardy, Johnson, Rose.

The part I agree with is that Dan played w no HOFers really - and that's why he never won a SB. He played a couple years w Stephenson before he had his career cut short and then he played w Jason Taylor at the very end of his career. But poor drafting on D cost that team a shot at a title during Dan's prime.

---------- Post added at 11:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:59 PM ----------

Nothing before '90? No '84 Dolphins not on that list is a joke. So are the '80 Air Coryell Chargers. Those teams played in an era where DBs could man handle receivers til the ball was in the air. And still, Marino and Fouts destroyed the record books. I'd put some of those receivers from that era among any playing today: Marks Bros, Jefferson (later Wes Chandler), Joiner, Winslow. They would've tore it up today. Maybe Gil can't remember that far back....

Just saw that the '98 Vikings didn't make the list. Wow

This is basically how I felt when I read it.

 

[Mike13]

One thing that might hurt the 84 Dolphins is that 90% of the success was tied to one player. Well maybe not 90%, but most of it was completely due to Marino. The team didn't have much of a running game. The tight ends and reserve receivers were effective but nothing spectacular. The show was all Marino, Duper and Clayton with some decent supporting characters. I think the only Hall of Famers on that offense are Marino and Dwight Stephenson.

One thing that might hurt the 07 Patriots is that 90% of the success was tied to one player. Well maybe not 90%, but most of it was completely due to Brady. The team didn't have much of a running game. The tight ends and reserve receivers were effective but nothing spectacular. The show was all Brady and Moss with some decent supporting characters. I think the only Hall of Famers on that offense are Brady and Moss.

 

[royalshank]

One thing that might hurt the 07 Patriots is that 90% of the success was tied to one player. Well maybe not 90%, but most of it was completely due to Brady. The team didn't have much of a running game. The tight ends and reserve receivers were effective but nothing spectacular. The show was all Brady and Moss with some decent supporting characters. I think the only Hall of Famers on that offense are Brady and Moss.

is amazing how the most potent offenses year in and out rarely win the SB - especially when they draw a good D. I think the Rams really got lucky in drawing a 9-7 (I think) Tennessee team and yet came 1 yard shy of having to go to OT.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

Knew he was old but didn't think he was that old. Ok, well, I guess kudos to him for still being active in the game. Man that '84 offense was potent. Too bad we drew the 15-1 niners - one of the best single-season teams ever.

Agree. I think Miami's 1984 team would beat a lot of the super bowl teams during that time frame. But the 49ers were absolutely loaded. I don't know how many Hall of Famers were on that unit, but certainly a lot more than Dan Marino had to work with.

Just sad that Don Shula and the front office at the time couldn't put together a defense that could be super bowl worthy.

 

[ChrisTRD]

Gil never includes the Dolphins in his stuff and man he shows his age a lot. He's unbearable to listen to on SiriusXM.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

Gil never includes the Dolphins in his stuff and man he shows his age a lot. He's unbearable to listen to on SiriusXM.

I think he did have Don Shula in his top three coaches of all-time, higher than Tom Landry which surprised me.