Sleeper: Redskins WR corp

[Beemnseven]

Originally Posted by Lotus

In 1991 no one was talking about us...until we were 11-0 and headed towards a Super Bowl victory.

Under the radar is good.

That's not exactly true -- I remember we were supposed to be in contention in '91.

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by Beemnseven

That's not exactly true -- I remember we were supposed to be in contention in '91.

In 1990 the Giants won 13 games and the Super Bowl. The 49ers went 14-2. The Bills were in their Super Bowl run heyday. Therefore at the start of the 1991 season the prognosticators were all about those three teams, not us. We weren't getting much love.

Watch the "America's Game" episode on the '91 season. Several players talk about being under the radar. They even show a contemporaneous interview in which Rypien is asked about how the team could have gone under the radar for so long.

[Beemnseven]

Originally Posted by Lotus

In 1990 the Giants won 13 games and the Super Bowl. The 49ers went 14-2. The Bills were in their Super Bowl run heyday. Therefore at the start of the 1991 season the prognosticators were all about those three teams, not us. We weren't getting much love.

Watch the "America's Game" episode on the '91 season. Several players talk about being under the radar. They even show a contemporaneous interview in which Rypien is asked about how the team could have gone under the radar for so long.

You and I must have heard different things. Chris Collinsworth predicted we would win the Super Bowl on Inside the NFL. I had one of those preseason magazines at the time (can't remember which one) which said we'd be in the running for a championship.

In 1990 we were a game away from the NFC Championship -- we had a veteran team with a future HOF head coach, and the Giants were aging and without Bill Parcells. Yes, the Bills were obviously getting some well deserved hype. Ditto the 49ers who were in the midst of a dynasty.

Either way, it just isn't true that "NO ONE" was talking about us.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Beemnseven

You and I must have heard different things. Chris Collinsworth predicted we would win the Super Bowl on Inside the NFL. I had one of those preseason magazines at the time (can't remember which one) which said we'd be in the running for a championship.

In 1990 we were a game away from the NFC Championship -- we had a veteran team with a future HOF head coach, and the Giants were aging and without Bill Parcells. Yes, the Bills were obviously getting some well deserved hype. Ditto the 49ers who were in the midst of a dynasty.

Either way, it just isn't true that "NO ONE" was talking about us.

Yeah I recall the Skins being a preseason pick by some mags to win it all. They didn't exactly come out of nowhere.

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by Beemnseven

You and I must have heard different things. Chris Collinsworth predicted we would win the Super Bowl on Inside the NFL. I had one of those preseason magazines at the time (can't remember which one) which said we'd be in the running for a championship.

In 1990 we were a game away from the NFC Championship -- we had a veteran team with a future HOF head coach, and the Giants were aging and without Bill Parcells. Yes, the Bills were obviously getting some well deserved hype. Ditto the 49ers who were in the midst of a dynasty.

Either way, it just isn't true that "NO ONE" was talking about us.

And this year Florio predicts us to go to the Super Bowl, yet the vast majority of prognosticators predict much worse for us. The Sporting News had us at 4-12.

The fact is that, overall, we are pretty much under the radar of most people right now. There are exceptions in terms of prognostication, as always, but exceptions do not prove the rule.

And in 1991, it was not too much different. Some people predicted us to be quite good, but most people were talking about other teams in terms of Super Bowl championships.

As I mentioned before, Rypien was interviewed about how the Skins were "flying under the radar." Who was the interviewer? Collinsworth. So Collinsworth may have predicted us to be champs but, at the time, he also recognized that his voice was in the minority.

[Beemnseven]

Originally Posted by Lotus

And this year Florio predicts us to go to the Super Bowl, yet the vast majority of prognosticators predict much worse for us. The Sporting News had us at 4-12.

The fact is that, overall, we are pretty much under the radar of most people right now. There are exceptions in terms of prognostication, as always, but exceptions do not prove the rule.

And in 1991, it was not too much different. Some people predicted us to be quite good, but most people were talking about other teams in terms of Super Bowl championships.

As I mentioned before, Rypien was interviewed about how the Skins were "flying under the radar." Who was the interviewer? Collinsworth. So Collinsworth may have predicted us to be champs but, at the time, he also recognized that his voice was in the minority.

"Flying under the radar" isn't the same as "no one was talking about us."

Let's not forget the state of our franchise throughout the eighties. We were a consistent, tough contender; and it wasn't often that we were totally out of it. We'd been knocking on the door in the late 80's, and expectations in that era were that we'd be in the mix.

So let's not make it look like we were "getting no respect", or "nobody gave us a chance," or that "everybody was ignoring us" because it just wasn't the case.