Controlled Chaos Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Hampton: We would have pounded Brady By Barry Rozner | Daily Herald Columnist Published: 1/31/2008 12:14 AM You can't help but wonder about that 1 field goal. You wonder where the 1985 Bears would have landed in history if an errant blocking call hadn't led to Walter Payton's fumble in Super Bowl XX and a Patriots field goal 1:19 into the game. After shutting out the Giants and the Rams in the first two playoff games, had the Bears been leading 44-0 instead of 44-3, Buddy Ryan would have called the fourth quarter like he did the first three, and there would have been no New England TD. "I'm glad you brought that up, because I know Buddy would have wanted to pitch three straight shutouts, which would have ended, once and for all, any discussion of who's the best team in NFL history,'' said Bears Hall of Famer Dan Hampton, via phone from Phoenix on Wednesday. "And believe me when I tell you they had no chance to score if we had played the way we played the first three quarters.'' No, they didn't. Every play was pretty much a jailbreak, and even the 46-10 final didn't do justice to the rout. Still, in three playoff games against top NFL clubs, the best defense in history allowed an average per game of 145 total yards, 42 rush yards and 10 first downs, while forcing 10 fumbles, collecting 16 sacks (for 143 yards), and giving the offense the football for nearly 37 minutes per game. Final combined score of the three postseason games: 91-10. Which brings us to the 2007 Patriots and whether they stack up with the 1985 Bears. "There's no doubt that with our offensive line and Walter, we would have run all day long on a team that's giving up 4.4 yards per carry,'' Hampton said. "That (New England) defense is all smoke and mirrors. "As for Tom Brady, he's a great, great player and maybe the best around, but the secret is out that the way to slow the Patriots down is to get pressure on Brady and keep their routes short and underneath, where Randy Moss isn't going to hurt you. "The question is whether they could stop our pass rush. Everyone knows about the '46,' but we also had a '59' package where we had Otis (Wilson) on one side, Wilber (Marshall) on the other, and myself, (Steve) McMichael and (Richard) Dent in the middle, and it meant their line had to block five Pro Bowl pass rushers 1-on-1. "You going to block Richard Dent 50 straight times in a game? Me? Otis? I don't think they could and I think we'd be in his face all day. I think we would have pounded Brady back there.'' Considering the era, the size of the '85 Bears is shocking when you line them up against the Giants' front four of today. Dent was 6-feet-5, 260 pounds to Michael Strahan's 6-5, 255; Hampton was 6-5, 270 to Osi Umenyiora's 6-3, 261; Fridge Perry went 6-4, 320 to Barry Cofield's 6-4, 306; and only McMichael would be underweight for a tackle today at 6-2, 265 to Fred Robbins' 6-4, 317. "People can talk about how it's a different game and all that, but I'll take our guys at our 1985 size and our 1985 speed,'' Hampton said. "That argument doesn't work for the '85 Bears, which is just one more reason why most people who played in that era, or coached in the '70s, believes we were the best team of all time. "Before Thanksgiving, I was thinking we might have to move aside for the Pats, but since then, they've been barely getting by. "Most of our games, we knew the games were over by halftime. What did you say that score was for three playoff games, 91-10? That's really all you need to know. "New England's a good football team, but they wouldn't have been able to play with us. How can anyone say we're not the best ever?'' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Controlled Chaos Posted January 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 I have to agree with Danimal 100% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Yeah, the Bears D would've crushed them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaBearSox Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Great Article...someone should send this to Mike & Mike... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madlithuanian Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 I LOVE DANIMAL! Testify! Hampton: We would have pounded Brady By Barry Rozner | Daily Herald Columnist Published: 1/31/2008 12:14 AM You can't help but wonder about that 1 field goal. You wonder where the 1985 Bears would have landed in history if an errant blocking call hadn't led to Walter Payton's fumble in Super Bowl XX and a Patriots field goal 1:19 into the game. After shutting out the Giants and the Rams in the first two playoff games, had the Bears been leading 44-0 instead of 44-3, Buddy Ryan would have called the fourth quarter like he did the first three, and there would have been no New England TD. "I'm glad you brought that up, because I know Buddy would have wanted to pitch three straight shutouts, which would have ended, once and for all, any discussion of who's the best team in NFL history,'' said Bears Hall of Famer Dan Hampton, via phone from Phoenix on Wednesday. "And believe me when I tell you they had no chance to score if we had played the way we played the first three quarters.'' No, they didn't. Every play was pretty much a jailbreak, and even the 46-10 final didn't do justice to the rout. Still, in three playoff games against top NFL clubs, the best defense in history allowed an average per game of 145 total yards, 42 rush yards and 10 first downs, while forcing 10 fumbles, collecting 16 sacks (for 143 yards), and giving the offense the football for nearly 37 minutes per game. Final combined score of the three postseason games: 91-10. Which brings us to the 2007 Patriots and whether they stack up with the 1985 Bears. "There's no doubt that with our offensive line and Walter, we would have run all day long on a team that's giving up 4.4 yards per carry,'' Hampton said. "That (New England) defense is all smoke and mirrors. "As for Tom Brady, he's a great, great player and maybe the best around, but the secret is out that the way to slow the Patriots down is to get pressure on Brady and keep their routes short and underneath, where Randy Moss isn't going to hurt you. "The question is whether they could stop our pass rush. Everyone knows about the '46,' but we also had a '59' package where we had Otis (Wilson) on one side, Wilber (Marshall) on the other, and myself, (Steve) McMichael and (Richard) Dent in the middle, and it meant their line had to block five Pro Bowl pass rushers 1-on-1. "You going to block Richard Dent 50 straight times in a game? Me? Otis? I don't think they could and I think we'd be in his face all day. I think we would have pounded Brady back there.'' Considering the era, the size of the '85 Bears is shocking when you line them up against the Giants' front four of today. Dent was 6-feet-5, 260 pounds to Michael Strahan's 6-5, 255; Hampton was 6-5, 270 to Osi Umenyiora's 6-3, 261; Fridge Perry went 6-4, 320 to Barry Cofield's 6-4, 306; and only McMichael would be underweight for a tackle today at 6-2, 265 to Fred Robbins' 6-4, 317. "People can talk about how it's a different game and all that, but I'll take our guys at our 1985 size and our 1985 speed,'' Hampton said. "That argument doesn't work for the '85 Bears, which is just one more reason why most people who played in that era, or coached in the '70s, believes we were the best team of all time. "Before Thanksgiving, I was thinking we might have to move aside for the Pats, but since then, they've been barely getting by. "Most of our games, we knew the games were over by halftime. What did you say that score was for three playoff games, 91-10? That's really all you need to know. "New England's a good football team, but they wouldn't have been able to play with us. How can anyone say we're not the best ever?'' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Controlled Chaos Posted January 31, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 I forgot about how that one fluke fumble probably cost this team a shutout in the SB. Totally Dominating!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chitownman Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Danimal sums it up once again and those so called experts who do not think that the '85 team was the best of all times, can kiss Chicagos collective ass and learn once again how great that team was. No doubt about the best team in the NFL of all time. I am thinking as well that as much as I want to shut Mercury Morris the hell up, NY is probably going to shock the so called experts once again. Here is to our team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrunkBomber Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 Danimal sums it up once again and those so called experts who do not think that the '85 team was the best of all times, can kiss Chicagos collective ass and learn once again how great that team was. No doubt about the best team in the NFL of all time. I am thinking as well that as much as I want to shut Mercury Morris the hell up, NY is probably going to shock the so called experts once again. Here is to our team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I dont really think there are many experts who dont have the 85 Bears in the discussion for best team ever. I think they are always one of the first teams mentioned in the discussion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Hochuli 3:16 Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 The guy's these days are so much quicker; I just don't see how the 85 Bears could keep up with the current Pats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 The guy's these days are so much quicker; I just don't see how the 85 Bears could keep up with the current Pats. I think Willie Gault would like to have a word with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brletich Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 The guy's these days are so much quicker; I just don't see how the 85 Bears could keep up with the current Pats. I think that you don't really understand how fast our D was that year. Moss is the only Pat I see giving us trouble, and frankly, I don't think Brady would have time to get the ball to Moss deep because of the pressure he would face. Our LB's were some of the best and fastest in the business that year. No I don't think the '85 Bears would have had trouble keeping up with the Pats at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 I think that you don't really understand how fast our D was that year. Moss is the only Pat I see giving us trouble, and frankly, I don't think Brady would have time to get the ball to Moss deep because of the pressure he would face. Our LB's were some of the best and fastest in the business that year. No I don't think the '85 Bears would have had trouble keeping up with the Pats at all. Agreed. It's like shaking hands with someone's grandfather. Often times, the guy looks a little weaker, a little smaller; it's generational. But then you realize there is some sort of wirey strength in there, and he can really keep up. Not to mention the fact that he could have whooped your ass just a few short years ago. The 85 Bears were like that. They were fast, strong, smart, dedicated, and intense. If there is any sort of speed differential between that team and teams of today, it would be negated. That 40 track time doesn't mean jack when the pads are on and you realize that therre is a borderline insane man (Danimal) lining up across the line from you. Not to mention the fact that the 85 Bears D had multiple HOFers, and should probably have more. I'll take a bunch of quick HOF players over a bunch of quick good players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Hochuli 3:16 Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 I'll just leave this alone. I didn't know just b/c you were a part of this forum you had to consistently get on your knees for past and present Bears squads, but apparently you do. Sorry, it's an opinion I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balta1701-A Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 The guy's these days are so much quicker; I just don't see how the 85 Bears could keep up with the current Pats. The same way the current Pats keep up with the rest of the league. Ask Rodney Harrison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boston Boxer Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 The same way the current Pats keep up with the rest of the league. Ask Rodney Harrison. are you saying that the Pats are on HGH? Like Hester said, there is no point in taking about this because most on this board are uber homers and refuse to accept differing opinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balta1701-A Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 are you saying that the Pats are on HGH? Like Hester said, there is no point in taking about this because most on this board are uber homers and refuse to acept differing opinions. I wouldn't be surprised if a significant chunk of the league was. Even when the NFL had their testing routine going, we still had back in 03 for example a bunch of the Panthers players (including the bloody punter!) going to a doctor for steroid doses around the time of the super bowl, and none of them ever tested positive. But Harrison I can at least say with some certainty has been on stuff. Because he actually got caught. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boston Boxer Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 I wouldn't be surprised if a significant chunk of the league was. Even when the NFL had their testing routine going, we still had back in 03 for example a bunch of the Panthers players (including the bloody punter!) going to a doctor for steroid doses around the time of the super bowl, and none of them ever tested positive. But Harrison I can at least say with some certainty has been on stuff. Because he actually got caught. obviously, Harrison is and i would agree the rest of the league is also. But you are saying the only reason the Pats are keeping up with the rest of the league is because of HGH...that is just flat out stupidity. This debate could go on forever. The fact is you can't compare two team from two totally different eras and say one would be better than the other. People can point out stats and everything else under the sun, but the league now has much better teams top to bottom than in the past. Again, nobody can compare teams from different eras, it is just impossible to do IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madlithuanian Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 Isn't that why we're here to some extent? To talk about these kinds of silly things? Of course (many of) us are going to think the 85 Bears are best! It is really a silly and impossible task to compare any teams, regardless of era even. But what elese are we to do now? The draft's far away, and the SB is going on with no Bears team. With all the talk the media is having over best ever, etc...it seems only quasi logical that it would be an interesting topic of conversation. I'm just happy as a Bears fan, that we're invited to the dance when best of all time teams are being considered! obviously, Harrison is and i would agree the rest of the league is also. But you are saying the only reason the Pats are keeping up with the rest of the league is because of HGH...that is just flat out stupidity. This debate could go on forever. The fact is you can't compare two team from two totally different eras and say one would be better than the other. People can point out stats and everything else under the sun, but the league now has much better teams top to bottom than in the past. Again, nobody can compare teams from different eras, it is just impossible to do IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.