1990-12-23 ESPN NFL Primetime

[@cfoster81]

To me NFL Primetime was my generation's (80s and 90s) "This Week In Pro Football" well before Sunday Ticket or NFL Red Zone. I watched it faithfully and it was one of my favorite Football programs.

[@marvinclay4476]

When ESPN was truly ESPN.

[@BadstreetMI]

The old studio and old graphics are great. Takes me back.

[@jasonoverbeck5042]

NFL Primetime. I was in my prime NFL fandom during this era. 😁

[@MaximusWolfe]

Good time to be a fan. The NFL sucks ass now.

[@tuowl0564]

I was 8 years old and it was 2 days before Christmas; if only I had a time machine! The hitting in the Bills-Dolphins game was intense! Not something you'd expect from a Shula coached Dolphins team on the road in Buffalo. Is that the last time fans rushed the field in an NFL game and tore down the goalposts? I have to think so? The Pats 42-7 loss to the Jets might have been rock bottom for the franchise. It was by far their worst "L" in a season that saw 15 of them. The Browns with 9 turnovers?!?! They completely fell off a cliff in 1990 following a great run in the 80's. This is 49 minutes of gold....

[@mateuszdonda]

Yeah started watching football in the '90 season as well...was 7 🙂

[@CoreyT127]

Damn Warren Moon had a very realistic chance at 5000 yards if he would've played the final game! And a long shot at the single season record. And he would've been at home indoors with the division title on the line so you know he would've been airing it out .

[@cbod14]

Why was he in the game? It was over. Stupid

[@gluserty]

@@cbod14 Odd too because he took himself out of the game versus the Chiefs when that game was over. Still, Cody Carlson did lead the team to a rout of the Steelers in the division title/play-in game (goodbye, 1990 Steelers and your awesome pass defense), and even with Moon I don't think the Oilers beat the Bengals in the Wild Card round (last playoff win for Bengals so far, so these events currently remain significant). Also, just like this season, it was the first year the playoffs were expanded to the six team format (I believe the AFC had better overall depth for the 1990 season, for once in this era).

[@cbod14]

@@gluserty Disagree about the AFC depth. The NFC was so strong in this era. SF, NYG, Chicago, Washington & Philadelphia were powerful. Dallas, New Orleans & Detroit were also on the rise

[@gluserty]

@@cbod14 Oh, I agree the NFC was strong in this era and normally so much better than the AFC, but in this 1990 season I feel the AFC was better in that regard. Bills, Dolphins, L.A. Raiders, and Chiefs were real strong that season, with the Bills arguably being the best team in the NFL regular season. Okay, the Bengals were shaky (later to fall off a cliff) and the Oilers were inconsistent, but there were also decent non-playoff teams like the Seahawks (one of the best records after a 0-3 start) and the Steelers with their vaunted pass defense (which did get fried by Cody Carlson in the season finale). The NFC in 1990? I don't think it was as strong as usual actually. The 49ers went 14-2 but they were more like the 1986' Bears 14-2 team (one-dimensional, lots of close wins, relied too much on Montana, fatally bad running game). The Giants were the real deal for sure (very determined; unspectacular but tough to break), but the Eagles were too undisciplined & unpredictable (a staple of Buddy Ryan's Eagles teams) and Washington Team was the same way (Joe Gibbs said it himself). The Bears were solid but they were at the stage where they were no longer a championship contender, and the Saints struggled all season to reach .500. The Rams and Vikings imploded, while the Packer reversed their record from a year before (shame about the '89 Packers; I think they would've been a fun playoff team). Yeah, Dallas, New Orleans, and Detroit really came on (so did the Falcons, albeit briefly)... but that was in 1991, and the AFC was back to being a punching bag with the Dolphins, Raiders, and Chiefs diminished, while the Bills struggled defensively. The Oilers came closer to reaching what looked like their potential, but after that overtime loss to Washington Team they played .500 ball throughout the rest of the season and barely escaped the Jets in the Wild Card round (then they blew that 21-6 lead against Denver in a way that the Oilers did those things back then)

[@bradjames891]

Back when it was an honor to actually make a bowl game in college football.

[@joeboo8626]

Steelers beating the Browns 35-0 one year after the Browns beat them 51-0. That's one hell of a turn around. Also 13:57 RIP all passing records from back in the day when QBs weren't protected.

[@cbod14]

Amazing to think of all the important games Frank Reich won for Buffalo in that era.

[@gluserty]

Frank Reich was an interesting backup in that given the time to prepare for the odd start he played well, but I recall him once stating in a publication (maybe Sports Illustrated or The Buffalo News) that he was less comfortable being inserted into a game out of nowhere (so a different kind of backup than, say, Miami's Don Strock). Kent Hull, I always felt he should've been a surefire Hall of Famer, and now that he passed away some time back, that honor has lost its significance.

[@TheDeadlyYears]

@@glusertyKent Hull was the anchor of that Bills line for 11 years. When Kent Hull retired, Jim Kelly soon followed him into retirement. Kent Hull belongs in the HOF. As does Bills LB Cornelius Bennett and special teams ace Steve Tasker.

[@TheDeadlyYears]

You’re so right. The Buffalo Bills don’t even get to four in a row without Frank Reich. Frank Reich won three games in 1989 and beat Miami then as well as beating Miami in 1990. Then there’s the 32 point comeback win in the playoffs vs Houston and Frank followed that up with another big playoff win at the Steelers. When Jim Kelly got injured Super Bowl XXVII, we all thought Frank would come in and work his magic. Wasn’t meant to be.

[@timburr4453]

the good ol days. Boom and TJ were unmatched

[@ahoneanatwo]

The Good Old Days before ESPN became the monster that now controls all the sports, especially college football……

[@cbod14]

No Jay Novacek you aren’t a playoff team. Not this year anyway. That loss to Philadelphia led to them picking up Steve Beurlein. Who would lead them to their first playoff win of the Jones-Johnson era

[@chrisuncleahmad]

“Jim Shofner has that look”

[@sylvainbeaulieu6300]

That cheezy electro music of the early 1990's

[@jaylucien669]

Cowboys defense was awesome against philly. Aikman doesn't get hurt the Cowboys are playoff bound a year in advance.

[@jasperdriver8546]

Bengals v Oilers was true hatred at its best

[@RodPower78]

The play that doomed the Cowboys' chances at the playoffs @ 29:25. I can't say enough how absolutely horrible that old Vet Astroturf was.

[@StFidjnr]

If you're keeping score, the Eagles have knocked out their 6th qb in 1990

[@StFidjnr]

2:01 for espn sunday night nfl which follows after that

[@BStagg82]

GO SEAHAWKS!!!

[@davidcarterjr.9326]

best high light show ever !!!! GO LIONS!

[@JoeBobTarheel]

Before ESPN went Woke!!

[@MGAF688]

Pete Axthelm is down to 41 days to go.

[@KevinJL]

That's not nice

[@joetriolo9161]

The show worked best when it was just Boomer and TJ. No disrespect to Pete or Robin but that's the way it was.

[@jfliguy]

Fix the tracking