Best non-Super Bowl team we've had?

2010 9ers

What about the '98 team that beat the packers in the wildcard round. Garrison Hearst breaks his ankle on the 2nd play of the game and the niners go on to lose to ATL 20-18. That was one of the best offensive units in history...

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

/thread

this - i will never forget the dominance that we had that year

Originally posted by dr8van:
What about the '98 team that beat the packers in the wildcard round. Garrison Hearst breaks his ankle on the 2nd play of the game and the niners go on to lose to ATL 20-18. That was one of the best offensive units in history...

If Hearst didn't have that nasty break we would of easily defeated the falcons.

Four teams come to mind:

1. 1987 - We broke all kinds of records, Jerry set the TD record for a WR, we were literally adjacent to the '07 Pats (in terms of dominance), but were taken by surprise in an upset (against the Vikings, who did nothing in the playoffs after defeating us).

2. 1990 - We set a monster road record (which has yet to be topped) with an o-line going through age/transition issues; almost had a three-peat, and Montana was riding a 'high' off the 1989 season.

3. 1997 - This was definitively the LAST GOOD 49ers squad of the Eddie. D era (possibly the last 'most dominant' 49ers squad, period). Even with Rice out/playing on a shattered knee, it was the last time we made the NFC Championship game.

I'm almost for certain that if it hadn't been for the Packers (and Warren Sapp laying a dirty shot on Rice), we would have defeated the Broncos like we had previously in the season, and changed history.

4. 1971 - It was yet another 'Cinderella' season under Dick Nolan, we were looking to finally get over the 'hump' (aka the Dallas Cowboys), who had defeated us a year previous in the NFC Championship... but history had repeated itself, and all the bad 'luck' in the world was on us (we fumbled away yet another shot at our first Lombardi, as the Cowboys went on to beat the Dolphins... for 'their' first).

[ Edited by SnakePlissken on Nov 19, 2010 at 12:29:31 ]

Originally posted by 49erJim:

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

/thread

1987 HANDS DOWN!!

Originally posted by TX9R:
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.

The best non-Superbowl team period.

They came out of the tunnel yawning because they knew there was no way the Vikings were going to beat them. After all, the 49ers had the #1 Offense and #1 Defenses that year. To everyone's surprise the Vikings came out on fire and kept making play after play on them. It was surreal.

And the season that should have ended with the 1st SB victory of a historic 49ers 3-peat went up in smoke, instead of the history books.

1990

I am very careful about the could have should have way of thinking. Only the 1990 team am I willing to make a statement that I am 90% sure is true. We were one less fumble away from a 3-peat

Originally posted by mayo49:

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.

It was definitely '91. They absolutely destroyed the Bears (playoff team that year) on the final MNF game. They made the playoffs every other year with Young as the starter.

Originally posted by zeppfan1:

Originally posted by mayo49:

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.

It was definitely '91. They absolutely destroyed the Bears (playoff team that year) on the final MNF game. They made the playoffs every other year with Young as the starter.

Yes it was the 91 season, the first year after Montana went down, The Redskins ended up winning the SB that year, but Joe Gibbs later said he was relieved that the 9ers didn't make it. especially after seeing the Monday Night game against the Bears. (which as previously posted we stomped them 52-14 two days before Christmas)

Originally posted by JoseCortez:
90 and 83. We should have won in 83 except for a phantom interference call on lott.

83.

Have to add a Sparky Anderson quote, "I may have lots of faults but living in the past isn't one of them it has no future.

Originally posted by TX9R:
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.

I agree. Although the 1990 team was dominant, anyone who followed Niner football at the time has to know the bigger shock/upset came from losing to the Vikings in 87 and not the Giants. By 1990, we were still a great team, but on the decline. Discounting Craig's fumble, he was already not the same running back. The defense was older. That '87 team on the other hand is a different story altogether.

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...

That was such a depressing year, bc Cowboys were not rdy yet, n the only team that would havee beaten the Skins was us. Young was still getting the hang of things, but by the time we beat playoff bound Bears 52-14 on Monday night last game of season it was clear we were crazy good. From 87-95 we could have won every Suerbowl if the cards played out just right. Even the records and stats dont show how good we really were. Had Walsh stayed coach, I believe we'd have won atleast 2 more SB than we did if not more.

Here's something to add: The best NON PLAYOFF team: 10-6 1991 when they destroyed the Bears the last game on Monday night, 52 to something.

I think that was 1991? Somebody help out my memory.

Oh never mind, the previous post just talked about it. Weird.

[ Edited by highwayone on Nov 20, 2010 at 11:34:17 ]

Originally posted by dr8van:
What about the '98 team that beat the packers in the wildcard round. Garrison Hearst breaks his ankle on the 2nd play of the game and the niners go on to lose to ATL 20-18. That was one of the best offensive units in history...

exactly. i was searching to see if everyone forgot or Not. that was supposed to be our #6