1988 Bengals vs 2015 Bengals

[QueenCitySouth]

If these 2 teams played each other in a game, which one would win?

[WiregrassBenGal]

It's close, but Munoz, Montoya and the other players open more holes and create more plays for James Brooks and Ickey Woods than the 2015 team would do for Gio and Jeremy. Gio is better than James was, though.

By the end of the year Boomer was pretty beat up in 1988 so maybe they weren't protecting him as well as I remember. The 2015 defense is also better but still has a tendency to give up big plays.

[PDub80]

Which era of rules are they playing in?

Actually, it just hit me that wouldn't matter....

The 2015 team wins in a stomp. 1988 rules (or lack there of) would actually help the Bengals.

- Iloka, Jones, DreKirk, and Nelson are maulers and would LOVE to be able to knock blocks off, but are handcuffed by the safety 1st rules in today's game.
- The O-Line handles the 88' D-line.
- The 2015 skill position group is much better than the 88'  Bengals 2ndary & LBs.
- The Dline from 2015 is an incredibly strong unit as well.

I really don't see how the 88' team manages to come out ahead.

[StLucieBengal]

(10-19-2015, 01:22 PM)PDub80 Wrote: Which era of rules are they playing in?

Actually, it just hit me that wouldn't matter....

The 2015 team wins in a stomp. 1988 rules (or lack there of) would actually help the Bengals.

- Iloka, Jones, DreKirk, and Nelson are maulers and would LOVE to be able to knock blocks off, but are handcuffed by the safety 1st rules in today's game.
- The O-Line handles the 88' D-line.
- The 2015 skill position group is much better than the 88'  Bengals 2ndary & LBs.
- The Dline from 2015 is an incredibly strong unit as well.

I really don't see how the 88' team manages to come out ahead.

88 had their own enforcer In fulcher. Actually the whole secondary was pretty good. And krumrie would destroy bodine.

I don't think that they could cover Eifert. But this was a dick lebeau defense so your gonna see a lot of zone which could help them.

88 OL vs this DL would be a great matchup.

[PDub80]

(10-19-2015, 02:13 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: 88 had their own enforcer In fulcher.   Actually the whole secondary was pretty good.   And krumrie would destroy bodine.  

I don't think that they could cover Eifert.   But this was a dick lebeau defense so your gonna see a lot of zone which could help them.

88 OL vs this DL would be a great matchup.

Great points!

[corpjet]

Is there a video recap anywhere on Youtube of the 88 season?

Not versed enough to make an educated response on this poll, us younger guys could use a good history lesson! lol

[Curtis85]

Well the 88 team made it to the Superbowl. Let's hope this 2015 team can win a playoff game.

[Hammerstripes]

Size and speed are so much different now compared to back then. Even our smallest D-lineman is going to be heavier than the O-line from '88.

Also, with all the 3 wide and 4 wide sets, I don't think the '88 team is built to handle that personnel. It's different eras so it's hard to compare, but I would have a hard time thinking that the '88 team would have an answer for Eifert and Green on offense as well as Geno on defense.

[Goalpost]

This would be a good match up with the current Bengals

Boomer had a QB rating of 97 for the year.
Bengals ground attack churned out 169 yards per game.

Would probably be a high scoring game.

[Wilikn]

The 1988 squad was greater than the sum of its parts appear. So many guys on that team had seasons not properly represented by their careers. We see those players now with tainted glasses as we know what they were in total. These Bengals we see based upon as much what they could be as what they are.

That 1988 group can make an argument for the greatest rushing offense in NFL history. YPC combined with a uber elite ability to nab the short yardage. Losing their best blocking back the night before the Super Bowl, along with their best defender in the early moments, likely robbed them of a Super Bowl ring (biased).

Gio Bernard may end up being better than Brooks. That James Brooks avg'd over 5 YPC the whole season and had 14 TDs. The bar is awfully high.

[StLucieBengal]

(10-19-2015, 02:51 PM)corpjet Wrote: Is there a video recap anywhere on Youtube of the 88 season?

Not versed enough to make an educated response on this poll, us younger guys could use a good history lesson! lol

It was a magical time. That team was just amazing. If you can find them, I encourage all younger fans to watch them.

[StLucieBengal]

Playoff game vs Seattle. The Joe Nash injury game. This was their answer to the no huddle. Which we were the first to run.

[StLucieBengal]

Cowboys game

[StLucieBengal]

Steelers game

[Wilikn]

(10-19-2015, 05:34 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: Playoff game vs Seattle.   The Joe Nash injury game.   This was their answer to the no huddle.  Which we were the first to run.

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.

[DanTheBengalsFan]

Obligatory answer: Of course the 2015 squad would win. The '88 players are, like, 55 years old by now.

OK, I got that out of the way for everybody. Proceed...

[E0100137]

I attending both the Bengals Super Bowls and actually saw the first home game in Nippert when I was a little kid Comparing the two teams is difficult because of the disparity in size, speed and skill sets. Offenses and defenses are much more complicated today.

However my observation is:

O-Line: advantage 1988
Wide receivers:advantage 2015
Tight Ends: advantage 2015
Running Backs: advantage 1988
QB: Boomer was MVP that year, Andy is certainly performing to that level but advantage 1988

D-Line: with the exception of Krumrie, the 88 line was weak. This D- line is significantly better advantage 2015
Linebackers: right now it's a push. If Burfict returns and plays at a high level advantage 2015
D-backs: 1988 was tough with Thomas, Billups, Fulcher and Willcotts. Beyond the it was thin. 2015 has better depth and because Jones is playing at a high level this one is a push

Kicking: advantage 1988-seems like Breech never missed
Return Team: Stanley Wilson was very tough but Adam Jones is special every time out advantage 2015

Coaching: Wyche was a Master and Lebeau was as well. Hue is equally as good but not Gunther advantage1988

I think if you do the analysis one can conclude it takes a lot of special parts to win a Super Bowl. Remember Joe Waters (RT) tore his ACL in the last regular season game and Brian Blados filled in and did a stellar job..

This 2015 is very special and has strong leadership. They can go very far if they don't look ahead.

Conclusion: with this era being more of a passing game than ever the advantage goes to 2015 because of our wide receivers and a nasty D-line that puts a lot of pressure on the QB.

[StLucieBengal]

(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.

Yes I think younger Bengal fans do not realize just how pioneering this franchise has been on the offensive side. LeBeau also started his zone blitz concepts here in cincy. Franchise never gets any credit for these but it all started here.

[PDub80]

(10-19-2015, 05:39 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: Cowboys game

Good Lord... Kenny looks like he shouldn't be allowed within 300 feet of a school!

[Atomic Orange]

It's close enough to give the advantage to the 2015 squad because it's 2015. The 88 team was great as well in 88.

Err, ask the same question in January.