1997 Detroit Lions: A Playoff Return & An MVP
After missing the postseason, the 1997 Detroit Lions got back on track and Barry Sanders won a co-MVP award. Read the game-by-game narrative of how it unfolded.
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1997 San Francisco 49ers: New Coach, Same Outcome
1997 was a year of change for the San Francisco 49ers, with Steve Mariucci taking over as head coach. For almost two decades the franchise had been the gold standard in the NFL—winning Super Bowl titles under Bill Walsh in 1981, 1984 and 1988, and then doing it twice more under George Seifert in 1989 […]
This One’s For John: The 1997 Denver Broncos Super Bowl Journey
Everything was about redemption for the 1997 Denver Broncos, both short-term and long-term. In the short-term, this was a team that had the #1 seed in the AFC playoffs in 1996 and lost in a big upset at home to the Jacksonville Jaguars. In the long-term, 37-year-old quarterback John Elway had yet to win a […]
1996 Jacksonville Jaguars: An Improbable AFC Championship Game Trip
The 1996 Jacksonville Jaguars were in just their second season of existence. To no one’s surprise, they had gone 4-12 in their first year. To everyone’s surprise, they made a stunning late season push in 1996 to sneak into the playoffs. And to everyone’s shock, Tom Coughlin’s Jags then made it all the way to […]
1996 Indianapolis Colts: A Playoff Berth Amidst Change
After a surprise run to the AFC Championship Game in 1995, the Colts had to find a new coach. Ted Marchibroda, who had led this franchise to the postseason in both its Baltimore and Indianapolis iterations, called it a career. The front office tapped offensive coordinator Lindy Infante. While Infante had flamed out in a […]
1996 Buffalo Bills: The End Of The Kelly Era
Jim Kelly came to the Buffalo Bills in 1986, after a brief stint in the defunct United States Football League (USFL) out of college. Kelly’s tenure in Buffalo was the greatest in franchise history. By 1988, the Bills were a perennial contender. They won a historic four straight AFC crowns from 1990-93. Even though they […]
1996 Miami Dolphins: The Johnson Era Begins
The 1996 Miami Dolphins were starting a new era in franchise history. The 26-year run of the legendary Don Shula ended after the 1995 season. Shula had won two Super Bowls, five AFC titles and made the playoffs in four of his final six years. But with the great quarterback Dan Marino getting older, the […]
1989 Montreal Canadiens: A Return To The Finals
The 1989 Montreal Canadiens were three years removed from winning the Stanley Cup. Over those ensuing seasons, they had gone out in the second round of the playoffs each time. Pat Burns took over as head coach for ’89, and Montreal made a run all the way to the Finals. Tough defense—the stingiest in the […]
2005 Miami Heat: Setting The Stage For Greatness
The Miami Heat were a franchise back on the ascent in 2005. After a string of playoff seasons under Pat Riley (1996-2001), the Heat had slipped in 2002-03. Riley moved up to the front office, Stan Van Gundy became the head coach and Miami got in position to draft Dwayne Wade out of Marquette. In […]
1996 Philadelphia Eagles: Beyond Adversity & Into The Playoffs
The Philadelphia Eagles came into 1996 building off a season where they won 10 games and advanced to the Divisional Round of the playoffs. That 1995 run was in the first year under head coach Ray Rhodes, who took over a team that had been around .500 the previous couple of seasons. In 1996, even […]
Revisiting The 1977 NL MVP Ballot
In the decade of the Big Red Machine, Cincinnati had already produced MVP seasons from Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, and Joe Morgan. Leftfielder George Foster was added to that list when he won 1977 NL MVP award. Here’s a look back at the voting, from the top 5, to some notable action down the ballot. […]
Revisiting The 1977 AL MVP Ballot
Rod Carew was one of the great contact hitters of his generation and in the history of baseball. Playing first base for the Minnesota Twins, he reached the individual high point of his Hall of Fame career when he won the 1977 AL MVP award. Here’s a look back at the voting, focusing on the […]