(10-19-2015, 10:35 PM)jfkbengals Wrote: Our current defense isn't very good.  We have a good pass rush with the lead, and that's about it.

Woods and Brooks would destroy us, leaving Boomer's play fake to essentially score at will.

'88, hands down.

(10-19-2015, 05:49 PM)Wilikn Wrote: Oft ignored in that season, Joe Nash's behavior started a chain reaction prompting the NFL to rule the "no-huddle offense" illegal two hours before the AFC championship game kicked off.

This was influenced by Marv Levy's declaration that the offense was illegal.  So very odd that Marv "invented" the no-huddle offense one year later.

The Bengals staple that whole season was not available to them in the final two games.

(10-20-2015, 07:48 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: This team would have won 10 superbowls straight in that era. Players today are stronger and faster the 27yrs ago. Yhe only edge I wough give our team in 88 would be physical and mental toughness moons over the players today.

(10-20-2015, 07:09 AM)Wyche Wrote: Wyche called the League's bluff in that one mere hours before kickoff of the AFCCG.  By threatening to turn them in for tampering with the odds on the betting lines , we were able to continue to run the no huddle.  The "sugar huddle" was what got disallowed....but if memory serves , that was earlier in the year.

(10-20-2015, 07:48 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: This team would have won 10 superbowls straight in that era. Players today are stronger and faster the 27yrs ago. Yhe only edge I wough give our team in 88 would be physical and mental toughness moons over the players today.

(10-20-2015, 09:35 AM)Wilikn Wrote: The aspect deemed illegal was the changing of personnel if I remember right.

The Bengals would have 12/13 on the field, pull one or two off just before snapping and the defense could not match up.

Yeah, that's plenty illegal now.  It wasn't then, at least not until the AFC title game. 

Willing to be corrected here.  I've not exactly done extensive research.

Quote:"I immediately told the NFL delegate along with the referee who was in the office there with me and (current Bengals owner) Mike Brown, I said 'Go get Pete Rozelle on the phone right now because I want to tell him that he's interfering with the competitive balance of this game, and if we get penalized and lose this ballgame, the first thing I'm bringing up in the press conference is this conversation and there are a lot of gamblers out there who aren't going to be very happy.'


"It wasn't 20 seconds before he came back, he left the room and came back -- I'm not exaggerating -- I bet it wasn't 20 seconds. 'Uh, commissioner says go ahead and use the no-huddle, no problem,' " Wyche said.

(10-20-2015, 10:29 AM)Wyche Wrote: Yeah...the changing of the personnel was what was referred to as "the sugar huddle".  They would essentially have different personnel packages (i.e. fullback, TE, extra wideout, what have you) in the huddle at the same time, then keep the package they wanted based on defensive personnel and send the extra two or three guys they didn't want off of the field.  It was genius, you couldn't defend it.

Here's an interesting read on it....

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/wyche-nfl-tried-halt-no-211552505--nfl.html

(10-20-2015, 08:08 AM)Psycholomonkey Wrote: This is the only real answer, but many people don't like it.  Nostalgia and whatnot.  Ok maybe not 10 straight superbowls, but even that isn't entirely ridiculous given how athletes have progressed. 

(10-19-2015, 03:03 PM)Curtis85 Wrote: Well the 88 team made it to the Superbowl. Let's hope this 2015 team can win a playoff game.

(10-20-2015, 11:20 AM)Wilikn Wrote: I prefer to think the Bengals whip the dog out of San Fran if not for the NFL's cheating ways.

Any facts to the contrary, especially given how much time has passed, are of no consequence (to me).