Since finishing my 1984 USFL replay I have been steadily working towards getting my net replay started. I have decided to replay 1988.

This was the first year I had a partial season ticket package for my beloved New York Jets, I was 25 years old and my fiance and I, had to figure out how to get the cash together while still being able to afford a mattress ( we slept on the floor :)). The Jets had a decent offense and finished 8-7-1, highlighted by a last second win on the last day of the season over the New York Giants, knocking Big Blue out of the playoffs.

Two 10-6-0 teams in the NFC failed to make the playoffs (NY and NO) and virtually every divisional race came dow to the last day of the season. The creams of the crop in the AFC were the Bills and Bengals, with Boomer Esiason winning the MVP award while leading Cincinnati to the Super Bowl. As good as Boomer was, the Bengals were really driven by their running game with Icky Woods (remember the Icky shuffle) and James Brooks. The Bills had the best defense in the AFC allowing 286.1 yards per game and featured a rookie running back named Thurman Thomas who would team up with, now veteran Jim Kelly, to lead the Bills to the AFC’s second seed at 12-4-0.

The NFC looked like it was going come down to the Bears and Vikings, who lived up to the NFC Central’s nickname of “The Black and Blue Division”. The Vikings and Bears finished numbers 1 and 2 in total defense with the Bears finishing as the Conference’s top seed at 12-4-0. The eventual champion niners, in Bill Walsh’s final season, got off to a 6-5 start but won four of their last five games to finish 10-6-0. San Francisco would travel to Chicago for the NFC Championship and thrash the Bears, 28-3. The 10-6-0 was an under achievement for the Niners who finished with the number 2 ranked offense in the NFL and the number 3 defense in the NFL. San Francisco would win the Super Bowl on a last minute drive which culminated in a Joe Montana to John Taylor touchdown connection to edge the Bengals, 20-16.

As mentioned Bill Walsh won the Super Bowl in his final season while Tom Landry suffered through a miserable season in Dallas and was unceremoniously fired by Jerry Jones who brought in Jimmy Johnson.

Lots of great names in this replay, many of whom played in my last two replays, 1991 NFL and 1984 USFL. I am looking forward to see how they perform in 1988.

I am using my own customized card set for this replay with my traditional method of play. Of course I will be using the YPC innovation, Int/Sk Defensive ratings, Forced Fumble and Recovery Ratings, penalty ratings and Special Teams Ratings for each team. I will also be using a new 3rd Down rating that I play tested during the second half of my 1984 USFL replay. QB cards have two run columns, one for scrambles the other for designed runs (I have been doing this with good success since my 1991 replay) and the QBs are also rated for yards lost on QB sacks. 

Anyway, look forward to having you all following along!!

MZ