Best non-Super Bowl team we've had?

I think it was the 1991 10-6 team that missed the playoffs. They had the 2nd best point differential in the NFL, won 6 in a row (after starting 4-6) and finished the season by absolutely slaughtering the playoff bound Bears (Ditka was pissed).

If they'd made the playoffs, that would have been another superbowl year.

Originally posted by billbird2111:

Originally posted by samoan49er:

Originally posted by billbird2111:
You're leaving out the Brodie years? Those were some tough teams my friend!

Yes -- under a NOLAN not named Mike!

Don't you know that Niner football didn't exist pre-Montana? Who is this John Brodie you speak of?

They were *this close* to Super Bowl greatness for a season or two before the wheels fell off.

Then the team went through seven years of hellish loosing.

Sound kinda familiar?

That sounds very familiar, maybe next year (or somehow this year) can be our '81

Honestly I used to think the Niners were just abysmal prior to the 80's. Then I watched all those Niner DVD's on the history of the 49ers, and listened to stories from my father-in-law (season ticketholder since the 60's), and realized how good they really were. Even though I'm way too young to know any of those players, I am well aware of how great they were. I think of the Million Dollar Backfield, John Henry Johnson might've been my favorite.

the one where Roger Craig fumbled and knocked us out of a sure fire NFC championship game. was that 1990?

Originally posted by mayo49:
What year was it when we started off real slow then dominated to finish just out of the playoffs. Nobody wanted to play us in the playoffs. I forget what year that was.

1991 my friend. Hail Mary against the Falcons did us in...Ah, the image of Travis Tritt and MC Hammer on the Falcon's sideline...

Originally posted by samoan49er:

Originally posted by billbird2111:
You're leaving out the Brodie years? Those were some tough teams my friend!

Yes -- under a NOLAN not named Mike!

Don't you know that Niner football didn't exist pre-Montana? Who is this John Brodie you speak of?

well i was born in 86, so that's my excuse and i'm sticking to it

The team that lost to the Falcons cuz Hearst broke his ankle

Originally posted by English:
1987. We were the best team in the NFL and arguably the greatest team ever.

/thread

1987 HANDS DOWN!!

87 and it isn't close. That team had no holes, the same team won the next 2 SBs. All the other teams listed had problems on defense, 90 being maybe the next best but the core of the defense had gotten old. The 87 team was heavily favored in every game, it was a huge surprise when they lost. I wasn't surprised by the losses of any of the others on the list.

This thread brings back memories, but also shows how far this franchise has fallen, 10 wins used to be a bust season, now people get excited about 8 wins.

90-92 teams should have won the superbowl.

There is one team you didn't list. '98. Jerry was out for most of the season in '97 with the bum knee due to that hit by Warren Sapp.

But '98 we had a hell of a team and only got knocked out of the Playoffs because Garry broke his ankle in the 1st series against the Falcons and BY was not on the field too. We could have kept going with one but not both off the field.

I mean when you start the season off against the Jets with the longest TD from Scrimmage in 49ers history, in OT that generally would be a precursor to a dream season. Would have been an awesome year for us.

~Ceadder

If we beat the Falcons this weekend -- I'm going to be foolish and start believing in our chances again.

Honestly -- I didn't get to see much of the Brodie years. Dad was not a fan of team sports. Dad was a fan of whiskey and bars. But once he went into the hospital in 71 -- there wasn't much for my brother and I to do on weekends.

So on one particular Sunday -- the brother turns on a Niner game.

The rest is history.

Originally posted by Ceadderman:
There is one team you didn't list. '98. Jerry was out for most of the season in '97 with the bum knee due to that hit by Warren Sapp.

But '98 we had a hell of a team and only got knocked out of the Playoffs because Hearst broke his ankle in the 1st series against the Falcons and BY was not on the field too. We could have kept going with one but not both off the field.

I mean when you start the season off against the Jets with the longest TD from Scrimmage in 49ers history, in OT that generally would be a precursor to a dream season. Would have been an awesome year for us.

~Ceadder

this

Originally posted by zeppfan1:

Originally posted by mayo49:
What year was it when we started off real slow then dominated to finish just out of the playoffs. Nobody wanted to play us in the playoffs. I forget what year that was.

1991 my friend. Hail Mary against the Falcons did us in...Ah, the image of Travis Tritt and MC Hammer on the Falcon's sideline...

No, I think it was later. Young was definetly the Qb, though.

Originally posted by RishikeshA:
In 87 and 90 we were the superior team. In 87 the 49ers were first in the NFL in offense and defense but were sidetracked by a Viking team that caught the Niners flatfooted, the only time I remember that happening when we were really good. In 90 the Craig fumble cost a three peat and Joe was knocked out for 2 years by a Leonard Marshall hit.

The Craig fumble still haunts me. That was without a doubt a SB team. That could of been Steve Youngs first SB win.