Playboy's Pro Football Forecast

Pro Football is a team sport, not like those other games in which one ambidextrous seven-footer or a 20-year-old with a 95-mph fast ball can launch a mediocre team into greatness. No, in football, everybody--all 22 players (or is it 35 after you add in kickers and punters, special teams and situation players?)--makes the difference. Right? Wrong. This season, the skill of a surgeon and the recuperative powers of a certain "one of a kind" individual may well determine which N.F.C. team goes on to win the Big One.

If James Robert McMahon can play, expect the big, bad Chicago Bears to be back with a vengeance. The Bears have the best players at the right age with the right experience and the right coach--even if they do have to beat the New York Giants, who continue to dominate everyone else. If McMahon can't recover sufficiently to resume his multiple roles of quarterback, chief butt patter, helmet knocker and media darling, then look for the Giants to repeat as Super Bowl champions. But the hunch here is that McMahon's got enough ham to bust the odds and wind up mooning the palm trees in San Diego come late January.

The tremendous talent of the Bears is unequaled by any other N.F.L. team. Let us count the Pro Bowlers: Dan Hampton, Dave Duerson, Steve McMichael, Mike Singletary, Jim Covert, Richard Dent, Walter Payton, Otis Wilson, Jay Hilgenberg. There are new potential stars in the backfield--Neal Anderson and Thomas Sanders. And anyone who thinks Payton is through doesn't know Walter very well.

But if McMahon takes an early retirement, the Giants will do an encore. Last year was no fluke. Phil Simms has proved that he belongs in the top-five-Q.B. club, Joe Morris can run under and through people, and opposing quarterbacks will still Say No to Lawrence Taylor. It's true that two days after Super Bowl XXI, Bill Parcells, the Giants' coach, had the nerve to consider a $4,000,000 offer to resurrect the Atlanta Falcons--only to be denied the opportunity on a contractual technicality. Giants owners Wellington and Tim Mara managed to find a like amount to soothe Parcells' hurt feelings. And the rest of the Giants have been reasonably successful in avoiding the postchampionship pitfalls of commercial and ego overindulgence.

If the unthinkable happens and both the Bears and the Giants take a hike in '87, don't look for the A.F.C. to beat the top N.F.C. contenders--the Washington Redskins, the San Francisco 49ers or the Los Angeles Rams. Is it possible that any of these teams could have done as good a job on the Denver Broncos last January as the Giants did? Without a doubt. The N.F.C.'s dominance over the A.F.C. is starting to look like the annual Rose Bowl scenario: The same guys keep winning. That's going to continue until the offensive-minded A.F.C. teams learn how to play the shove-the-ball-down-your-throat defense that's the trademark of the best N.F.C. clubs.

Of course, in order for any part of the above to take place, the owners and the players' association will first have to avoid a strike. The key issue--the only real issue--is the same old one: money. This time, it's disguised as free agency. The players want it; the owners get sick just thinking about it. The owners will probably bend a little, but a pro football free agency is unlikely. With the damage of the 1982 strike still fresh in everyone's mind, look for a settlement. The players, basically happy with their lot and their pay, will find a graceful way to give in.

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Giants coach Bill Parcells says, "My players have good work ethics." They do have better than most, but they're still human. Free safety Terry Kinard and fullback George Adams will return after missing last season because of injuries. But the Giants are susceptible at quarterback and running back if Simms or Morris, their (continued on page 140) Pro Football Forecast (continued from page 114) main men, go down. By picking three wide receivers in the first four rounds of this year's draft, with number-one pick Mark Ingram, from Michigan State, a likely star of the future, the Giants took a giant step toward fixing one of their few weaknesses.

The Washington Redskins had one major problem last season: They couldn't beat the Giants even once in three tries. But for a team that last year lost such players as Joe Theismann, John Riggins and Mark Moseley, 12 regular-season wins and a trip to the N.F.C. championship weren't bad. Q.B. Jay Schroeder, wide receivers Art Monk and Gary Clark and defensive end Dexter Manley are among the best at their positions. Kelvin Bryant will have a big year in the backfield. But the linebacking corps is thin, the secondary young and the heart of the defensive line, 37-year-old Dave Butz, has to be looking at his final season.

The Dallas Cowboys should beg Pete Rozelle to switch them over to the A.F.C. for a couple of seasons while they rebuild. All dynasties have their declines; just ask the Steelers and the Dolphins. Having Danny White, Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker all available at the same time won't be enough. The defensive line is aging and is in disarray. The offense needs help, too. To add to their problems, the Cowboys need a replacement for place kicker Rafael Septien, whom the team released after he pleaded guilty in the off season to a sex-offense charge. But Cowboys coach Tom Landry, too proud to throw in the towel and retire at this down moment for the team, will try to cover the talent gap with hard work. The gap is too wide and the schedule too tough for America's Team to do any better than .500.

When Buddy Ryan headed for Philadelphia after masterminding the Bears' 46 defense, the one that broke the confidence of every offense it faced on the way to Super Bowl XX, he should have checked the Eagles' upcoming schedules. Last season, they faced the N.F.L.'s second toughest; this season, it's the toughest: Eight of the Eagles' 16 games will be against teams that won ten or more games last season. The Eagles do have the aptly named wide receiver Mike Quick. Q.B. Randall Cunningham may improve if the offensive line can do better than the 104 sacks it allowed last season. But the Eagles will be outclassed by season's end, and Ryan may be drawing Os for another team next year.

Which N.F.L. team hasn't won a playoff game since Harry Truman was President? The St. Louis Cardinals, going all the way back to 1947 when they were the Chicago Cardinals, long before the team was moved to Buschville. And that string of bad luck will remain unbroken. Coach Gene Stallings has little to work with. The Cardinals lost wide receiver Pat Tilley and offensive guard Doug Dawson to injuries for most of last year and receiver Roy Green for part of the season. Tilley may not be back and whether Green can regain his Pro Bowl form is questionable. The Cards may have won this year's draft booby prize by using their number-one pick (sixth overall) to draft Q.B. Kelly Stouffer of Colorado State, regarded by almost everyone else as second-round material. Veteran quarterback Neil Lo-max will probably be traded any day.

The Chicago Bears, the soap-opera heroes who captured the hearts of America and the wallets of Madison Avenue in 1985--1986, are back for a repeat performance. They kept up the drama even in the off season. If you're Bears president Mike McCaskey and your general manager, Jerry Vainisi, is acknowledged in most circles as one of the best G.M.s in pro football and also happens to be a tight buddy of your coach, Mike Ditka, what do you do to make life interesting? Fire Vainisi, of course. Then complicate an already confused quarterback situation (McMahon, plus Doug Flutie, Mike Tomczak and Steve Fuller) by taking Michigan's Jim Harbaugh as your number-one pick--over the objections of your head coach. But even if this turns out to be Ditka's last season with the Bears, look for Chicago to come out steaming. It's worth repeating: The Bears have the best over-all talent in football. They even get Dennis McKinnon back from a season off for knee surgery.

The Minnesota Vikings, under new coach Jerry Burns, won the most improved award for last season. Of the 13 N.F.L. teams with losing records in 1985, only three--the Vikings, the Chiefs and the Bengals--had winning records in 1986. With five players--Steve Jordan, Anthony Carter, Leo Lewis, Darrin Nelson and Hassan Jones--each catching passes for more than 500 yards last season, Q.B. Tommy Kramer has lots of options. One he doesn't have, if the Vikes are to continue to improve, is getting hurt. A tough schedule may make last year's act difficult to match.

The outlook in Detroit isn't any better for its football team than for its auto industry, for many of the same reasons: lack of strong, intelligent management objectives, questionable discipline, insufficient mental toughness, too many contract squabbles. The Lions have one other problem: not enough good football players. Second-year Q.B. Chuck Long will need some big-play receivers. The defense needs help on the line and at the inside-linebacker position. By the team's own admission, the Lions' special-team coverage last year was terrible. If the Bears don't work things out with Ditka, Iron Mike may join his buddy Vainisi, who has been hired by the Lions as general counsel. That would at least solve the discipline and mental-toughness problems.

The Green Bay Packers have never been known for their genteel manners or social niceties. Even the Sixties' famous golden boy, Paul Hornung, wound up sitting out a year for having placed a couple of friendly wagers on a game. But he did bet on the Pack to win, a habit that these days would leave him without enough money to cover his bar tabs. Another thing that's changed: In the old days, the Pack ran around with the ladies. These days, they bust 'em in the chops or worse. James Lofton, acquitted in the off season of charges of sexual misconduct, has been traded to the Los Angeles Raiders. Other players had run-ins with the law, mostly involving sex or violence or both. These guys could use Judge Wapner as a coach.

The Packers got some hope from Q.B. Randy Wright, who replaced Lynn Dickey when coach Forrest Gregg finally went to the youth movement. Number-one pick Brent Fullwood, the latest model from the running-back factory at Auburn, will team with Kenneth Davis to give the Pack the beginnings of a potent ground game. The defense, however, did not get the help it needed from the draft. The building of a strong defense was complicated by corner-back Tim Lewis' forced retirement last season due to a neck injury. The Pack will rise again, but not this year.

If spending money and getting the first pick in the draft year after year could create winners, Tampa Bay would be headed for San Diego. But the plan doesn't always work, especially when football players such as Bo Jackson decide to play baseball instead. Owner Hugh Culverhouse, obviously not ready to roll over and play dead, spent about $4,000,000 to hire Ray Perkins away from the University of Alabama. He then signed Vinny Testaverde to an $8,200,000 deal, an effort not only to land a thoroughbred Q.B. but to silence the boo birds and fill some empty seats. But even with Vinny and four other picks out of the first 57 players drafted, Tampa Bay still has miles to go before becoming a winner. Perkins' philosophy: "You win with defense, special teams and offense, in that order." Ray has evidently missed watching the Giants and the Bears of late. Tampa Bay, with the second-easiest schedule in the N.F.L., will still have trouble winning more than four games.

At the end of last season, the San Francisco 49ers appeared to be on the brink of dropping from the elite group of teams that consistently posted season victories in double figures. Their offensive line was not up to the task and, despite a recovery from early-season back surgery that had shades of Lourdes about it, Joe Montana's physical status was a concern. In a series of brilliant moves, Coach Bill Walsh traded two draft picks for Tampa Bay's quarterback Steve Young and drafted the offensive-line talent (Harris Barton from North Carolina and Jeff Bregel from USC) the 49ers so badly needed. The 49ers remain the class of the West.

With Jim Everett firmly in place as the quarterback after starting the last five games last season, the Rams' future looks promising. Eric Dickerson is the best running back in football (11 100-yard games last season). Ron Brown and Henry Ellard provide plenty of speed on the outside. The problem with the Rams has remained the same for the past several years--they can't win the big games. Maybe it's being in La-La land, maybe it's ownership the players don't respect, but the fact remains that coach John Robinson must find a way to toughen the attitudes of his players. A weak draft did nothing to strengthen the Rams' position.

Cajun is in this year. The Saints will be, too. Led by Rookie of the Year running back Rueben Mayes (1353 yards, with a 4.7 average per carry), the Saints could be the surprise team of the N.F.C. Second-year coach Jim Mora is a disciplinarian, handing out fines and benching players. G.M. Jim Finks sets a consistent front-office tone. The Saints have an excellent rush defense, and Morten Andersen is the best place kicker around. Still, they need a wide receiver and a fullback to be ready to challenge the Rams and the 49ers.

After approaching everyone from Dick Vermeil to Pee-wee Herman in a highly visible search for a new head coach, the Atlanta Falcons finally accepted their willing and available defensive coordinator, Marion Campbell. While Campbell is quietly competent, he doesn't inspire--and inspiration of the extraordinary kind will be required for the Falcons to make the play-offs. Last year's offense, featuring Q.B. Dave Archer, got off to a fast start but then lost its confidence and Archer to injury. The Falcons do have running back Gerald Riggs and the tower-of-power offensive guard Bill Fralic. The defense will get better, with Tony Casillas playing the middle, but there are still too many weak spots for the defense to dominate, and the offense will leave the defense on the field too much of the time.

If the New England Patriots had a rushing game, they'd be dangerous. Stuck behind an ineffective offensive line, former 1000-yard rushers Tony Collins and Craig James were unable to get 900 yards between them last season. Offensive guard Sean Farrell, acquired in a trade from Tampa Bay, should help. Tony Eason, intercepted only ten times all last season, is the most underrated quarterback in football. The defense is good--that is, for the A.F.C.--though defensive end Kenneth Sims's return, after an off-season back operation, is questionable. Being in the now weaker A.F.C. East will be an advantage for the Pats.

The Miami Dolphins will open the season in the house Joe built, the new, privately financed 75,000-seat Joe Robbie Stadium. And Don Shula expects to improve on "the worst start [two and five in the first seven games] in all my years of coaching." But until the Dolphins find a defense (they were tied last year with the Jets for worst in the A.F.C), the scene in Miami will not improve significantly. Their best defensive player, linebacker Hugh Green, suffered a severe knee injury in the third game last season. Dan Marino's knees may also be vulnerable. Shula, with the second-most wins of any N.F.L. coach ever (only George Halas had more), will bring all his skills to bear, but he doesn't have the football players to turn things around--yet.

Remember back in week 11 of last year's season, when the New York Jets were ten and one and all New York was giddy at the prospect of a Jets-Giants Super Bowl? Then the knees came crashing down: defensive linemen Mark Gastineau and Joe Klecko, linebacker Lance Mehl and tackle Reggie McElroy. The Jets did show character, limping into the play-offs to whip Kansas City and then forcing the Cleveland Browns into two overtime periods before finally succumbing, 23--20. But with Klecko, Mehl and McElroy questionable for this season's start, it's doubtful that the Jets will get to the play-offs.

Is it possible that the Indianapolis Colts, perennial door mats of the A.F.C., may stop playing the patsy? If you continue to get a top draft pick every year, sooner or later you're going to assemble some talent, even if you're boycotted by guys such as John Elway and Brian Bosworth. Presumably, linebacker Cornelius Bennett will decide to play for the Colts. This guy, who will be one of the best ever, would make a difference to any team. And quarterback Gary Hogeboom, out for most of last season with a separated shoulder, should give the team some passing punch. One setback the Colts will have to overcome is the loss of running back Randy McMillan, who was injured in an automobile accident in the off season. Albert Bentley and George Wonsley will try to replace him. The Colts have the opportunity to start the climb out of the depths of ineptitude. Their having drawn the easiest schedule in the N.F.L. won't hurt, either.

On the other hand, the Buffalo Bills, another bad team trying to get better, have drawn a murderous schedule, facing eight games against teams that had ten or more wins last season. Jim Kelly will be one of the N.F.L.'s premiere quarterbacks, and sooner rather than later. While the offense shows promise, the outlook for the defense is not as encouraging. New defensive coordinator Walt Corey, formerly of the Chiefs, will try to improve the Bills' miserable giveaway/take-away ratio (-21), the worst in either conference. Cut that number in half and they could still be last. It will snow again in Buffalo.

The Cleveland Browns are the class of the A.F.C. this year. If an A.F.C. team has a chance to end the domination of the N.F.C., the Browns are the ones. Bernie Kosar, intercepted only ten times in 531 passing attempts last season, may be better than Marino or Elway. If the Browns could find a first-class wide receiver, we'd find out for certain. Despite injuries last year to its tandem backs, Earnest Byner and Kevin Mack, tight end Ozzie Newsome and others, Cleveland showed enough depth to win 12 games, with only Denver stopping the Browns from making the Super Bowl. No one is likely to stop them this year.

Everybody who plays the Cincinnati Bengals says the same thing: "If these guys ever find a defense, they'll be unstoppable." The Bengals' offensive attack is balanced and potent. They gained more total yards last year than any other team in football. Boomer Esiason can throw, James Brooks can run and Anthony Muñoz and Max Montoya are two of the league's dominant offensive linemen. But good defense beats good offense, and Cincinnati's defense is less than average. Until the Bengals find a way to keep their offense on the field, they'll continue to be bridesmaids. A terrible punting game doesn't help.

Like Tom Landry, Chuck Noll is a proud man, a guy who has been to the big game and won more than once. But the Steelers, like the Cowboys, are a dynasty gone sour. When did the magic slip away? When great players retired and were replaced by average players, that's when. The Steelers are trying to recapture the old luster by bringing back the great Joe Greene as defensive-line coach. Noll will get everything there is to get out of the team but is unlikely to break .500. The players still have to win the games.

The Houston Oilers played a split season last year. In the first half, their "run, run, run" philosophy resulted in loss, loss, loss. At one and eight, coach Jerry Glanville probably saved his job by switching the emphasis to passing and letting wide receivers Drew Hill and Ernest Givins fly. The Oilers' record for the second half of the season was four and three. Their pass defense was surprisingly solid, with the secondary particularly good. But lots of major injuries on the offensive side cloud the immediate future. Times will remain tough in Texas.

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One of the real ironies in the A.F.C. last season was the fact that the team playing the best football at the end of the year didn't make it into the play-offs. Like a jockey who waits too long to make his move, Chuck Knox and his Seattle Seahawks were left with a lot of horse and no room to run. Knox gets the knock for not playing Q.B. Dave Krieg all the way. Things should fall together this year. Curt Warner came all the way back from his '84 knee surgery to lead the conference in rushing last season. Playing in the Noise-dome, otherwise known as the Kingdome, is probably worth a touchdown to the Seahawks at every home game. Another crisis of confidence between coach and quarterback could mar an otherwise bright outlook.

Intellectually and emotionally, the Denver Broncos are tied to the success of quarterback John Elway. But as good as he is, Elway--despite a corps of good receivers--cannot carry the Bronco offense alone. And, as the Bears found out last year, it's dangerous to depend too heavily on one player. The defense, led by Karl Mecklenburg and Ricky Hunley, will be strong against the run, a little less strong against the pass; but the Broncos need a first-class running back to find their way back to the Super Bowl.

Who says there's no democracy in pro football? Last season, John Mackovic coached the Kansas City Chiefs to their first play-off spot since 1971. His assistant and special-teams coach, Frank Gansz, resigned, upsetting the players so much that they went to management for satisfaction. They got it. Mackovic was fired and Gansz got the head-coaching job. The special teams had the clout, because they carried the team to the play-offs. After all, the Chiefs' offense was the worst in pro football. It's doubtful that K.C. will be able to repeat its modest success of last year. First of all, the special-teams coach won't pay as much attention to the special teams, because he's now the head coach. Second, the Chiefs still don't have an outstanding running back or quarterback. Let's face it: They played over their heads last year.

Somehow, somewhere, the Los Angeles Raiders are going to have to find a quarterback. Chances are they've resurrected Jim Plunkett for the last time, with off-season shoulder surgery probably putting the period on his playing career. The Raiders still have a powerful defense that will carry them through some tight games. Nose tackle Bill Pickel and safety Vann McElroy (seven interceptions in 1986) fit the Raiders' image. Help on the offensive line is needed if Marcus Allen is to see 1000 yards rushing again.

The San Diego Chargers are undergoing a make-over. Discipline and defense are in; passing on every down is out. The problem is that, aside from linebacker Billy Ray Smith, recently acquired all-pro linebacker Chip Banks and defensive end Lee Williams, the Chargers don't have the horses to get the job done. The severe knee injury to standout defensive end Leslie O'Neal last season may be a career ender. New coach Al Saunders will try ball control, lots of short passes and running, but his players won't have the ball often enough. And unless Dan Fouts can find the fountain of youth from which Jim Plunkett used to drink, this may be his last season.

The Three Biggest Myths of Pro Football

1. You need a Strong Running Game to Win in the N.F.L.

We hear strong rumblings coming from the graves of Vince Lombardi and George Halas, but the evidence is overwhelming: In the N.F.L., almost everybody runs the football at the same level of effectiveness, which is to say that almost everybody gets about four yards a carry. Good teams almost always run for more total yards than bad teams do--that's because good teams usually have the lead and are trying to run the clock out. In other words, rushing is as much a defensive weapon as an offensive one--winning teams pass early to get the lead and run late to hold on to it.

In 1985, the Indianapolis Colts had the highest yards-per-rush average in the N.F.L. at 5.0--that's Lombardi-Packer golden-age running--but were able to do no better than 5--11. The Detroit Lions had the worst yards-per-carry average in the league that year, 3.4, and still won two more games than the Colts did. Last season, the Cincinnati Bengals led the N.F.L. with a 4.9 average and managed to win ten games. But they failed to make the play-offs, while the New England Patriots, with the worst running game in the league (2.9 yards per rush), won 11 games and came within minutes of playing for the A.F.C. championship.

2. You have to establish your Running Game to Pass; The Passing Game opens up the Defense for the Running Game

You'll hear both of those canards dropped at least once per game this year by commentators who ought to know better. There is no proven connection between being able to pass well and being able to run well in the N.F.L. The most wide-open passing teams of the Eighties, the Miami Dolphins and the San Diego Chargers, have seldom run the ball well, and the decade's best running team, the Chicago Bears, ran just as well in years when it had a lousy passing game as in years when Jim McMahon was healthy.

3. All turnovers are created Equal

An amazing fact uncovered by studying the results of every N.F.L. game since 1960 is that, contrary to popular opinion, bad teams don't fumble any more often than good teams do. In fact, it's the best teams that often end up with the most fumbles--having the lead more often, they run the ball more, so they fumble more. But year in, year out, fumbles and fumble recoveries tend to be pretty much a question of luck, and the fumbles-lost and fumbles-recovered columns aren't accurate reflections of team power.

Interceptions definitely are. Unlike fumbles, interceptions aren't a product of the law of averages. They're an important indication of how well a team is performing its most important offensive function: moving the ball through the air. Interceptions are at least twice as damaging as fumbles--perhaps three times, according to our sports computer. Add up the interceptions a team makes on defense and subtract those thrown by its offense--it's practically a law that good teams will come out on the plus side, bad teams on the minus side. And if you throw an interception that's run back for a touchdown, history says you stand a 90 percent chance of losing.

authors of "Football by the Numbers 1987," Prentice-Hall

Playboy's 1987 Pre-Season All-Pro Team

Offense

Jerry Rice, San Francisco.............................Wide Receiver

Al Toon, New York Jets..............................Wide Receiver

Mark Bavaro, New York Giants.....................Tight End

Jim Covert, Chicago..........................Tackle

Anthony Muñoz, Cincinnati.......................Tackle

Bill Fralic, Atlanta............................Guard

Max Montoya, Cincinnati.........................Guard

Dwight Stephenson, Miami.............................Center

Dan Marino, Miami........................Quarterback

Eric Dickerson, Los Angeles Rams.....................Running Back

Curt Warner, Seattle.........................Running Back

Defense

Rulon Jones, Denver..............................End

Bruce Smith, Buffalo.............................End

Bill Pickel, Los Angeles Raiders...........................Tackle

Reggie White, Philadelphia......................Tackle

Mike Singletary, Chicago.....................Middle Linebacker

Wilber Marshall, Chicago.....................Outside Linebacker

Lawrence Taylor, New York Giants.................Outside Linebacker

Hanford Dixon, Cleveland.....................Cornerback

LeRoy Irvin, Los Angeles Rams.......................Cornerback

Deron Cherry, Kansas City.............................Safety

Ronnie Lott, San Francisco........................Safety

Specialties

Morten Andersen, New Orleans.....................Place Kicker

Rohn Stark, Indianapolis......................Punter

Bobby Joe Edmonds, Seattle.......................Kick Returner

Mosi Tatupu, New England......................Special Teams

Rookie of the Year

Cornelius Bennett, Indianapolis..................Linebacker

This Season's Winners

N.F.C. Eastern Division....................New York Giants

N.F.C. Central Division.....................Chicago Bears

N.F.C. Western Division.................San Francisco 49ers

Wild Cards..........................Los Angeles Rams

Washington Redskins

N.F.C. Champion.........................Chicago Bears

A.F.C. Eastern Division.................New England Patriots

A.F.C. Central Division...................Cleveland Browns

A.F.C. Western Division..................Seattle Seahawks

Wild Cards...................Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

A.F.C. Champion........................Cleveland Browns

Super Bowl Champion................Chicago Bears

"The outlook in Detroit isn't any better for its football team than its auto industry"

Eastern Division

National Football Conference

New York Giants................ 13--3

Washington Redskins............. 12--4

Dallas Cowboys................. 8--8

Philadelphia Eagles............. 4--12

St. Louis Cardinals.............. 3--13

Central Division

National Football Conference

Chicago Bears.................. 13--3

Minnesota Vikings............... 9--7

Detroit Lions................... 6--10

Green Bay Packers............... 4--12

Tampa Bay Buccaneers........... 4--12

Western Division

National Football Conference

San Francisco 49ers............. 11--5

Los Angeles Rams............... 10--6

New Orleans Saints............... 8--8

Atlanta Falcons................. 6--10

Eastern Division

American Football Conference

New England Patriots............ 10--6

Miami Dolphins................. 8--8

New York Jets.................. 8--8

Indianapolis Colts.............. 5--11

Buffalo Bills................... 4--12

Central Division

American Football Conference

Cleveland Browns............... 12--4

Cincinnati Bengals.............. 11--5

Pittsburgh Steelers.............. 8--8

Houston Oilers.................. 4--12

Western Division

American Football Conference

Seattle Seahawks................ 11--5

Denver Broncos................. 10--6

Kansas City Chiefs............... 9--7

Los Angeles Raiders.............. 7--9

San Diego Chargers.............. 6--10

Much of the research for this article was provided by Nancy Mount.