MidValleySports.Com

By Joe Torosian

For the last week we’ve run a poll asking you to vote for the greats Super Bowl teams of all time. Winning going away with close to 50% of the vote are the 1985 Chicago Bears. The 1972 Miami Dolphins and the 1999 St. Louis Rams were tied (at this writing) in second place with 12%.

This got us thinking were the 85’ Bears better than the 72’ Dolphins? Because Chicago’s “46 Defense” was designed to stop the run we felt Mike Ditka/Buddy Ryan answered that question in the Bears favor pretty quick.

But…what would happen in the 85’ Bears ran into “The Greatest Show On Turf”, the 99’ Rams?

We asked a couple of local coaches to get their opinions, one from the offensive side the other from the defensive.

Brian Tabatabai (El Monte Offensive Coordinator)

The Greatest Show on Turf would destroy the 1985 Chicago Bears by at least two touchdowns. The Bears only loss in 85′ was to Miami Dolphins in Week 13 by two touchdowns, 38-24.

The 46 defense is built to stop the run and disrupt the short passing game, but it left them extremely vulnerable to the Spread. Miami was able to exploit this weakness by using a spread set and creating a mismatch with their #3, Nat Moore, who was defended by an outside linebacker.

The one team that created issues for the Rams in 1999 were the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They were able to do so by creating pressure with their front four (specifically Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice), and the ability of Derrick Brooks to defend the slot or Faulk out of the backfield.

The 85′ Bears did not have such personnel at the linebacker position. According to Head Coach Mike Ditka, Buddy Ryan, the DC of the 85′ Bears, showed an inability to make such adjustments to this wide open style. The Bears would have had no answer for the Rams #3, Az-Zahir Hakim, or Marshall Faulk. Mike Martz’s pass first, attack vertically mind-set would have overwhelmed the prehistoric ’85 Bears Defense.

My vote is for the the 1989 49ers as the greatest Super Bowl team of all time.

Marc Paramo (Rosemead Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator)

I, like most defensive guys, know and remember just how dominant the 1985 Chicago Bears were. In terms of one year dominance it will go down as one of the best in NFL history. However, that being said I am in agreement with you in regards to the 1999 Rams. I say this not as a Ram fan but from a personnel standpoint.

All you have to do to understand this is to look at the one team that beat the ’85 Bears…the Miami Dolphins. They spread the ball around and had a quarterback with a quick release. Marino went on record to explain that they went three and four receivers with Nat Moore, Mark Duper, and Mark Clayton. When looking at the Dolphin Roster even Tony Nathan had over 70 catches. Marino also said that those guys were great at getting open when faced with man coverage. He also felt that he handled the blitz well. Doesn’t this sound like the ’99 Rams?

Kurt Warner, Tory Holt, Isaac Bruce, Az Hakim, and Marshall Faulk.

Lastly, the era/decade was different. The 80’s was still run oriented and smash mouth. Teams ran the ball between the tackles and had multiple tight ends. Players were bulky and less fleet of foot. As much as I appreciated Gary Fencik (free safety), Dave Duerson (strong safety) I don’t see them covering the Rams down the field.

The only way I see the Bears winning is if, and only if, they played by the NFL rules of the 1980’s. If they allowed Fencik, Wilbur Marshall, Mike Singletary, and Otis Wilson to jam receivers and rough them up; hammer them over the middle and play chippy…they would win. If Dan Hampton, William Perry, Richard Dent, and Steve McMichael could actually hit and rough up Warner then the Bears win.

If they play by the rules that are set up to benefit the offense, that is today’s offense, then game over for the Bears. The Rams would have way too much speed and like the Dolphins a quarterback that could handle the blitz and receivers that can get off jams.

 

Who is going to win? VOTE IN OUR POLL AND TELL US WHY HERE!

 

From Joe T.

My opinion was the 1999 Rams would simply overwhelm the 1985 Bears. Nearly everyone of the front seven and Gary Fencik were either Pro Bowlers or Hall of Famers for Chicago, but they were susceptible at the corners. Both coaches above mention Az Hakim (awesome) caught 36 passes…but Ricky Proehl caught 33 and at ten yards a catch it really did move the chains every time he hauled in a pass.

That’s four receivers and, oh by the way, Marshall Faulk and an aggressive quarterback who didn’t need for the running game to be on all cylinders to make things go. No nightmare is more vivid for Rams fans than seeing Dieter Brock trying negotiate a pass downfield in the 85’ NFC conference final.

I’m not downplaying the 85’ Bears, but this is just something to think about. They went 15-1 and got fat against the likes of Tony Eason, Randy Wright, Gary Hogeboom, Danny White, David Archer, Mike Pagel, a mediocre Ken O’Brien, over the hill Jim Zorn, over the hill Joe Theismann, Eric Hipple (twice), Steve Deberg (Twice),Tommy Kramer (talented but dealing with alcoholism at the time, twice), Joe Montana, and Marino.

In the details DeBerg, a smart quarterback who could move the chains, fared well against the “46” playing for the Buccaneers. Throwing more touchdowns than picks (5 to 4), DeBerg didn’t have talent around him or the gun to make it happen on his own. Theismann was six weeks away from being run over by Lawrence Taylor but was done. The interesting one is Kramer.

In Week Three Kramer (“Two Minute Tommy”) lit the vaunted “46” up for 436 yards and nearly pulled off an upset as he completed passes to ten different receivers. Montana completed 17 passes against the Bears for 160 yards but only seven of those went to Dwight Clark and Jerry Rice (3 catches-37 yards). The dump offs and short throws did not work.

Not saying the ’85 Bears were fool’s gold, but I think we would be really disappointed, or today’s fans would be, if they finally got a chance to see this legendary unit only to get lit up by Kurt Warner and friends.

Then again, that’s the great chess match football is.

We’d love your thoughts…

SUPER BOWL STUFF

Did you know…

The first time two number one draft picks started at quarterback in the Super Bowl it was in SB-3: Joe Namath for the New York Jets and Earl Morrall for the Baltimore Colts.

The last time two first round draft picks squared off at quarterback? SB-45, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers versus Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady wears number 12 and the record for quarterbacks wearing 12 is: 12 wins and 9 losses

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson wears number 3 and the record for quarterbacks wearing number 3 is: one win, one loss.

OLD AMIGO NETWORK

The Denver Broncos have not only hired Gary Kubiak to be their next HC, but they are currently interviewing Wade Phillips, former everything in the NFL with nearly every NFL team, to be the defensive coordinator.

 

 

 

 

NOSTRADAMUS MOMENT

My gut feelings lately have been more indigestion than insight the last few weeks…but I’m going to hate myself if I don’t get this written down somewhere…I think Seattle is going to win by a couple of scores. Ten points, two touchdowns, not sure, but I’ll go with 28-10.