The 1989 NFL standings are an easy way to see how teams stacked up against one another. There are links for all 16 teams, so you can see who was the best team on either side of the ball. Game-by-game narratives are also available, which allow you to read about the top players on each side of the ball as well as the memorable moments that made the season memorable. A 1989 NFL standings is a fun way to revisit the memorable moments of the season.
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San Francisco 49ers were team of the Eighties
If the San Francisco Niners were considered to be a team of the Eighties in 1989 NFL standing, how do you feel about them? They were in excellent statistical shape. They were consistently among the top five offenses in DVOA, even though they didn’t dominate any statistical category in the NFL. For 1989, the team’s offensive DVOA was 26.2%, and they didn’t make the all-time top-ten list. In comparison, the New England Patriots’ offensive DVOA in 2007 and 2010 was 40 percent. Now, offensive DVOA is normalized for each season, but it is still not reflective of the levels from 25 years ago. The gap between the top-ranked teams and the rest of the league is much wider than it was in 1989.
The San Francisco Niners were a team of the Eighties in 1989, but their season started off in a chaotic manner. They won eight consecutive games after Week 1, when they had to move the game against Patriots to Stanford Stadium. Five of their wins were in double-digits. They were 11-2-1 a month later and headed into a rematch with the Rams.
The Eighties Team of the Eighties: Denver Broncos
The San Francisco 49ers dominated the 1989 NFL season. Joe Montana was awarded the first MVP award in his career. The 49ers won their fourth Super Bowl title in a decade, and also won a second Super Bowl championship. The Denver Broncos won their third AFC championship in four years. They lost to the New York Giants in the divisional playoffs, but topped the AFC West by winning the Super Bowl.
The 1988 team was dominated by the Denver Broncos who won the AFC Championship. Among their many outstanding players was Steve Atwater, who holds the Arkansas school record for interceptions with fourteen. Atwater, who was drafted as the 20th player overall, also had his first NFL game as a Bronco. Christian Okoye, a second-round pick, met Atwater during the draft.
After years of underachieving, the Denver Broncos wanted to turn their fortunes around. A year after the Super Bowl, they were ranked near the bottom in scoring offense and defense. However, they had their sights set on future Pro Football Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon. The team had many other young talent, including a promising rookie in Floyd Little. The team was 5-11.
Los Angeles Rams were good all-around teams
During the 1970s, the Rams ruled the NFC West division. From 1973 to 1979, the Rams went 17-3 against the 49ers. The Rams won all seven games they played in San Francisco and reached the NFC title game three times, but they lost four of them. In 1979, the Rams made it to the Super Bowl, but they fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-19.
The Rams led 14-0 in the first quarter as quarterback Jim Everett connected to Henry Ellard, Damone Johnson and Henry Ellard. Fritz Shurmur’s zone defense kept the Rams scoreless in the second half. The Rams trailed 14-7 at the end of the fourth quarter. But not before Jim Everett completed a 30-yard touchdown pass for Flipper Anderson.
The Rams had a good all-around season, but they were ranked last in the 1989 NFC standings. The Rams had a good defense and were one of the best all-around teams in the league. Although the defense was strong, it lacked the speed necessary to play at the next level. The offensive line was not as strong as the 49ers’ which resulted in an underrated offense. The Rams finished with a 57-43 record.
New York Giants were good all-around team
The 1989 New York Giants were an all-around solid team. They won their first two games and were NFC East champions. The team also lost three of their last four games, including a 31-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. They were able to regain their fame after a terrible 1978 season. They won five of their six games and earned a bye for the wild-card round. Then, they hosted the Los Angeles Rams in a NFC divisional match on Jan. 7, 1990. Los Angeles was three points behind the Giants in that game. But it wasn’t enough to defeat them.
The Giants finished the season with an overall record of 79-54. The Giants lost to the Rams in overtime in their only playoff loss. Flipper Anderson, Giants wide receiver, caught the game-winning touchdown and ran the length the field to score the winning touchdown. Other standouts from the 1989 Giants were Ottis Anderson’s 1,023 yards of rushing and 28 passes. Dave Meggett caught 34 passes for 531 yards and made the Pro Bowl. The team won the Super Bowl in 1989 and will face the Buffalo Bills again.
Kansas City Chiefs were good all-around team
The 1989 Kansas City Chiefs were an all-around good team. They improved on their previous 4-11-1 record and finished 8-7-1 overall. The team didn’t make the playoffs for the third straight year, but they had four players selected to the Pro Bowl. Their last tie was a 10-10 match against the Cleveland Browns in Week 11.
In 1963, the Chiefs moved from Texas to Kansas City and lost to the Denver Broncos. The next Sunday, they defeated the Los Angeles Raiders, 24-19. Despite the early 1-4 record, Schottenheimer led the Chiefs to a win over the Cowboys, and the next game, they defeated the Houston Oilers 34-0 to win the AFC championship.
In the second half of the season, the Chiefs regained their championship run after drafting quarterback Abner Haynes. He was a rookie at Bishop College and made his Chiefs debut. He rushed for 3,814 yards and had 39 touchdowns. He also caught a staggering 204 passes. That was an impressive year for an undrafted free agent.
Miami Dolphins were good all-around team
The first Dolphins season featured a surprising number of injuries, and the team’s record remained low for the remainder of the season. Although they finished in the third place, they won a lot of games and it was their best decade. This was in large part due to a mediocre offense, but the team still managed to finish the season as the third-best overall team.
While Dan Marino had a down year in 1989, his 24/22 TD-INT ratio was still a decent one. While Miami’s offense finished 15th in scoring, the defense was strong enough to hold off teams that made big plays. Miami was so strong that it won five division titles and made 10 playoff appearances. It also won Super Bowl XIX.
The defense led the league in tackles, interceptions, and yards gained. The Miami Dolphins also ranked third in net yards gained and defense. Their rushing game was also good, ranking second in yards per try and 69 more than their closest rival. Miami’s cause was helped greatly by a strong offensive line. The Dolphins were a great team because of the “Killer B” defense.
The Cleveland Browns were a great all-around team
The 1989 Cleveland Browns were an expansion team. While the first two years were terrible, the defense put on a great show. Matthews and David Grayson each had two Pick-6s and the defense won the turnover battle eight-zip, which usually portends a win. In Week 2, the Browns continued the scoring with a 38-24 win over the New York Jets. Two of those interceptions came from All-Pro center Dermontti Dawson.
After Schottenheimer was fired, the Browns hired Bud Carson, a former assistant from Pittsburgh who was an architect for the Steel Curtain defenses in the 1970s. The Browns of Carson held the Steelers to 53 yards offense, eight turnovers and six sacks of quarterback Bubby Brister. The season ended with a disappointing defeat against the Green Bay Packers in the AFC title game.
The 1989 season saw the Cleveland Browns finish as the weakest AFC Central team. They were able to defeat the Miami Dolphins in Divisional Playoffs after a bye in round one against the Steelers. The Miami Dolphins won the game by 24 points. The Browns subsequently reached the playoffs each of the next five seasons and advanced to the AFC Championship Game three times.