Author: @spot_bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXI

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXI

Posted by | Jan 4, 2018 |

The Super Bowl is just 31 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 31 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!  Pasadena’s Rose Bowl hosted Super Bowl XXI on January 25, 1987. The game pitted the NFC champion New York Giants against the Denver Broncos of the American Football Conference.   New York Giants 31 Years Ago Coming into 1986, the G-men had not won a championship since 1956. In fact, they had not even won a division title in twenty-three seasons. But, this team had very high expectations coming in.   Unlike the ’85...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XX

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XX

Posted by | Jan 3, 2018 | , ,

The Super Bowl is just 32 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 32 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!  The Louisiana Superdome hosted Super Bowl XX on January 26, 1986. The game pitted the NFC champion Chicago Bears against the New England Patriots of the American Football Conference.   Chicago Bears 32 Years Ago In 1985, there was President Reagan, Michael Jackson and the ’85 Bears when it came to things every American was familiar with! The Bears were built in the image of their Head Coach, “Iron” Mike Ditka and their brash...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XIX

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XIX

Posted by | Jan 2, 2018 |

The Super Bowl is just 33 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 33 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion! Palo Alto’s Stanford Stadium hosted Super Bowl XIX on January 20, 1985. The game pitted the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers against the Miami Dolphins of the American Football Conference. 1984 was an epic season for the NFL by any standard. Washington’s Art Monk broke the receptions record. Eric Dickerson of the Rams broke the single-season rushing record. Dan Marino seemed to break every passing record imaginable. And, the 49ers came three points away...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XVIII

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XVIII

Posted by | Jan 1, 2018 |

The Super Bowl is just 34 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 34 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion! Tampa Bay hosted Super Bowl XVIII on January 22, 1984. The game pitted the defending World Champion Washington Redskins against the Los Angeles Raiders of the AFC. There was little doubt throughout the season that these were the two best teams in football. For during the regular season, they staged a classic confrontation. The Skins won at home 37-35 thanks to a fantastic comeback. Washington Redskins 34 Years Ago Washington had one of the...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XVII

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XVII

Posted by | Dec 31, 2017 |

The Super Bowl is just 35 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 35 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion! Pasadena’s Rose Bowl hosted Super Bowl XVII on January 30, 1983. The game pitted the NFC champion Washington Redskins against the Miami Dolphins of the American Football Conference. This was a rematch of Super Bowl VII; the only other time the Skins had been to the big game up till that point and when Miami completed their undefeated season. A strike had marred the 1982 season. The NFL cancelled seven games in all. Also,...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XV

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XV

Posted by | Dec 30, 2017 |

The Super Bowl is just 37 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 37 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!  Louisiana’s Superdome hosted Super Bowl XV on January 25, 1981. The game pitted the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles against the Oakland Raiders of the American Football Conference. The game was played amid the backdrop of the more serious world events. That week, US hostages were released from Iranian control adding to the emotional nature of the game.  Philadelphia Eagles 37 Years Ago For Eagles’ fans, winning the NFC championship was a culmination of Dick...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XVI

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XVI

Posted by | Dec 30, 2017 |

The Super Bowl is just 36 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 36 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion! Super Bowl XVI was played in the Pontiac Silverdome on January 24, 1982. The game pitted the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers against the Cincinnati Bengals of the American Football Conference. San Francisco 49ers 36 Years Ago The 1981 49ers experienced a decade of mediocrity. Alas, a QB from Notre Dame came upon a white horse. His name was Joe Montana and he was about to rewrite the San Francisco and NFL history books....

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XIV

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XIV

Posted by | Dec 28, 2017 |

The Super Bowl is just 38 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 38 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion! Pasadena’s Rose Bowl hosted Super Bowl XIV on January 20, 1980. The game pitted the NFC champion Los Angeles Rams against the Pittsburgh Steelers of the American Football Conference. The Rams and Steelers dominated their respective divisions during the decade with one giant difference. The Steelers won the Super Bowl three times. The Rams were making their first appearance in the world title contest. Los Angeles Rams 38 Years Ago Ray Malavasi was in his...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XIII

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XIII

Posted by | Dec 27, 2017 |

The Super Bowl is just 39 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 39 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!  Miami’s Orange Bowl hosted Super Bowl XIII on January 21, 1979. The game pitted the NFC champion Dallas Cowboys against the Pittsburgh Steelers of the American Football Conference. The public looked forward to this match up with keen anticipation. These were not just the best teams in football, but the two most popular teams. Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach, Tom Landry, and “Mean” Joe Greene were as famous as President Carter in 1979.  Both teams...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XII

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XII

Posted by | Dec 26, 2017 |

The Super Bowl is just 40 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 40 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!  Super Bowl XII was played in the Louisiana Superdome on January 15, 1978. The game pitted the NFC champion Dallas Cowboys against the Denver Broncos of the American Football Conference. Dallas Cowboys 40 Years Ago  The Cowboys had much the same cast as the one that brought them their surprising Super Bowl X berth with one notable exception. They traded up in the 1977 draft with the expansion Seattle Seahawks and grabbed Heisman Trophy...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XI

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XI

Posted by | Dec 25, 2017 |

The Super Bowl is just 41 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 41 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!  Pasadena’s Rose Bowl hosted Super Bowl XI on January 9, 1977. The game pitted the NFC champion Minnesota Vikings against the Oakland Raiders of the American Football Conference. Minnesota Vikings 41 Years Ago By the 1976 season, the Vikings were annually hosting playoff games in frigid Bloomington. Bud Grant’s squad was veteran-laden. For example, quarterback Fran Tarkenton was in his 16th season. The Vikes got a big lift. in ’76 by adding an outstanding...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl X

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl X

Posted by | Dec 24, 2017 |

The Super Bowl is just 42 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 42 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion! Miami’s Orange Bowl hosted Super Bowl X on January 18, 1976. The game pitted the NFC champion Dallas Cowboys against the defending World Champion Pttsburgh Steelers of the American Football Conference. Dallas was making their third Super Bowl appearance in six seasons. Meanwhile, the Steelers rampaged through their season in an effort to repeat. After they endured decades of futility, Pittsburgh was now the NFL’s premier organization. Dallas Cowboys 42 Years Ago The 1975...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl IX

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl IX

Posted by | Dec 23, 2017 |

We are only 43 days away from Super Bowl LII. To commemorate this not so special occasion, let’s reminisce about the Super Bowl from 43 years ago. It was the NFC champion Minnesota Vikings taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers of the American Football Conference. Minnesota Iron vs. Pittsburgh Steel. New Orleans hosted the game. Originally, It was scheduled for the comfort of the brand-new Superdome. However, the structure was not completed in time for the big game. So, for the third time, old Tulane Stadium was the venue. Minnesota Vikings 43 Years Ago The Vikings were playing in their...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl VIII

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl VIII

Posted by | Dec 22, 2017 |

The Super Bowl is just 44 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 44 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion! Super Bowl VIII was played in Houston’s Rice Stadium on January 13, 1974. The game pitted the NFC champion Minnesota Vikings against the Miami Dolphins of the American Football Conference. Miami was the first team of the Super Bowl era to win three consecutive conference championships. A feat so significant, it has only happened once since. Minnesota was playing in their second Super Bowl. They were handled by the Chiefs in Super Bowl IV...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl VII

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl VII

Posted by | Dec 21, 2017 |

The Super Bowl is just 45 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 45 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!  The Los Angeles Coliseum hosted Super Bowl VII on January 14, 1973. The game pitted the NFC champion Washington Redskins against the Miami Dolphins of the American Football Conference.   Washington Redskins 45 Years Ago Washington’s 1972 season was their best in 27 years. Fiery George Allen coached this roster that was littered with veterans and cast offs. They had a terrific running back, a great wide receiver, and 38 others of the blue-collar...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl VI

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl VI

Posted by | Dec 20, 2017 |

The Super Bowl is just 46 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 46 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion! New Orleans’ Tulane Stadium hosted Super Bowl VI on January 16, 1972. The game pitted the NFC champion Dallas Cowboys against the Miami Dolphins of the American Football Conference. The Cowboys were a perennial powerhouse by 1971. But, they could not seal the deal with a title. In ’66 and ’67, they lost heart breakers to Green Bay. In ’68 and ’69, they got whipped by the Browns. And in Super Bowl V, they...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl V

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl V

Posted by | Dec 18, 2017 |

The Super Bowl is just 47 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 47 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion! Super Bowl V was played in Miami at the historic Orange Bowl on January 17, 1971. The game pitted the NFC champion Dallas Cowboys against the Baltimore Colts of the American Football Conference. This was the first Super Bowl played following the merger of the NFL and AFL. Therefore, 1970 was one of the most competitive and compelling seasons in league history. Dallas Cowboys 47 Years Ago The Cowboys had anything but smooth sailing...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl IV

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl IV

Posted by | Dec 18, 2017 |

The Super Bowl is just 48 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 48 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion! New Orleans was the home of Super Bowl IV. The game was played in ancient Tulane Stadium on January 11, 1970. The game pitted the NFL champion Minnesota Vikings against the Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League. This game was historic for a number of reasons. But, it was a landmark affair due to it being the last game in AFL history. The merger was set to take effect for the 1970...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl III

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl III

Posted by | Dec 16, 2017 |

We are just 49 days away from Super Bowl Sunday! Let’s look back on the iconic third Super Bowl featuring the NFL’s Baltimore Colts and the AFL’s New York Jets. Super Bowl III was played at Miami’s Orange Bowl. Baltimore Colts 49 Years Ago Over the course of history, we have known some great teams that did not win the Super Bowl. The 2007 Patriots, 1998 Vikings and 2001 Rams jump off the page in that regard. But, before all those teams were conceived, there was one obvious candidate – the 1968 Baltimore Colts. That Colts’ team did not...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl II

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl II

Posted by | Dec 15, 2017 |

The Super Bowl is just 50 days away. So, let’s look at the Super Bowl from 50 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion! Miami’s Orange Bowl played host to Super Bowl II on January 14, 1968. The game pitted the NFL champion Green Bay Packers against the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League.   In 1967, the NFL had 16 teams divided into four divisions. Thus, the Packers were in their first season as a member of the central division. That division composed of the Pack, Lions, Bears and Vikings now called the NFC north...

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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl I

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl I

Posted by | Dec 14, 2017 |

The Super Bowl is just 51 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 51 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion! Green Bay Packers 51 Years Ago Super Bowl I was played in the Los Angeles Coliseum on January 15, 1967. The game pitted the NFL champion Green Bay Packers against the upstart Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League. Green Bay was a perennial power coached by legendary Vince Lombardi. Lombardi’s offensive philosophy was simple, yet effective. In fact, he may be the greatest offensive coordinator in NFL history. He relied on the...

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Quick Hits and Tidbits Around the NFL

Quick Hits and Tidbits Around the NFL

Posted by | Dec 13, 2017 |

Can the Jaguars Beat the Patriots? After an absolutely wild Week 14 in the NFL, there is a lot of uncertainty now in both conferences. Jacksonville crashed the two-horse AFC race with a signature 2017 win over the Seahawks. We all know the Jags play sound defense led by their tremendous secondary. But, Jacksonville has contributions from everybody in their latest conquest including the much-maligned Blake Bortles. Can the Jaguars actually compete with Pittsburgh and New England come playoff time? The fact is they match up well with any team in pro football. They can run the football with...

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A Look Back at Belichick’s History at Miami

A Look Back at Belichick’s History at Miami

Posted by | Dec 7, 2017 | ,

Bill Belichick is unarguably one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history. However, he has a pedestrian 8-9 record when his Patriots travel to Miami. Let’s look at some great and not so great moments from the Patriots’ recent history of playing in South Florida. Interestingly, Belichick has coached for so long, the stadium itself has underwent 5 name changes since he took over for the Pats! BELICHICK & THE FIRST DYNASTY The first meeting between the teams with Coach Belichick on the sidelines was a unmemorable 10-3 loss. The 2000 Dolphins were a playoff team; the Patriots were...

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Quick Hits and Tidbits Around the NFL

Quick Hits and Tidbits Around the NFL

Posted by | Dec 6, 2017 |

Here are some Week 13 quick hits and tidbits around the NFL: Jimmy G Report 49ers’ quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was stellar at Chicago in his first start with his new team. In addition to passing the eye test, he made several accurate throws in leading San Francisco to their second win of the year. Make no mistake, he was not facing Richard Dent or Dick Butkus, but Garappolo was outstanding in marching his team down the field all afternoon. Obviously he will have to tighten some things up in the red zone. But that largely could be a product...

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NFL Nails Gronk with a One Game Suspension

NFL Nails Gronk with a One Game Suspension

Posted by | Dec 4, 2017 |

In a world run rampant by Tweets and hot takes,  a singular moment from Sunday’s Bills-Patriots’ game will dominate the airwaves and headlines all week. With five minutes left in their annual beat down of Buffalo in Orchard Park, Tom Brady attempted a pass deep down the far sideline. The pass was under thrown and a backpedaling Tre’Davious White leaped to picked it off. White made no effort to advance the ball as half his body fell out of bounds. For good measure, Patriots’ receiver Phillip Dorsett touched White’s back. Gronk Lands WWE Move on White One instant later,...

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