Super Bowl XXIII

Background

For the 49ers, it was their first Super Bowl appearance since they defeated the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX. They made the playoffs in the three seasons between Super Bowl XIX and Super Bowl XXIII. But the team was eliminated each time in the first round, primarily because of the poor performances by their offensive stars in those games; quarterback Joe Montana, receiver Jerry Rice, and running back Roger Craig all failed to produce a single touchdown.

Related Topics:
Miami Dolphins - Super Bowl XIX - Joe Montana - Jerry Rice - Roger Craig

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

San Francisco entered Super Bowl XXIII by winning the NFC West with a 10-6 regular season record, but it was a long uphill battle. The team had a quarterback controversy with Montana and Steve Young each starting at quarterback during the season. But after a 6-5 start, Montana led the 49ers to win 4 of their final 5 regular season games, and guided them to their crushing playoff wins over the Minnesota Vikings, 34-9, and the Chicago Bears, 28-3.

Related Topics:
NFC West - Steve Young - Minnesota Vikings - Chicago Bears

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Montana finished the regular season with 238 completions for 2,981 yards and 18 touchdowns, and also added 132 rushing yards. His favorite target was Rice, who recorded 64 receptions for 1,306 yards (a 20.4 yards per catch average) and 9 touchdowns. Craig was also a key contributor with a total of 2,036 combined rushing and recieving yards and 10 touchdowns. The 49ers defense was lead by defensive backs Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright, Juff Fuller, and Tim McKyer, who recorded a combined totall of 18 interceptions.

Related Topics:
Ronnie Lott - Eric Wright - Juff Fuller - Tim McKyer

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Bengals were also a team on the rebound. During the 1987 strike-shortened season, quarterback Boomer Esiason and head coach Sam Wyche had openly feuded, and the team finished with a miserable 4-11 record. A lot of Bengals fans would have been happy to see them both leave the team, but they worked out their differences in the off-season and Esiason ended up having the best season of his career enroute to Super Bowl XXIII. During the regular season, he threw for 3,572 yards and 28 touchdown passes with only 14 interceptions, while also rushing for 248 yards and a toucdown on 43 carries. Esiason's performance made him the top rated quarterback in the league with a 97.4 passer rating and earning him the NFL Most Valuable Player Award.

Related Topics:
Boomer Esiason - Sam Wyche - Passer rating - NFL Most Valuable Player Award

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cincinnati also had a number of offensive weapons. Wide receiver Eddie Brown was the top receiver on the team, with 54 receptions for 1,273 yards(a 24 yards per catch average) and 9 touchdowns. Receiver Tim McGee and pro bowl tight end Rodney Holman were also major threats, combining for 75 receptions, 1,213 yards, and 9 touchdowns. Rookie fullback Ickey Woods was their top rusher with 1,066 yards and 15 touchdowns, while also catching 21 passes. Woods gained a lot of media attention with his "Ickey Shuffle", a dance routine he did in the end zone to celebrate his touchdowns. Multi-talented running back James Brooks was also a key contributor, gaining a total of 1,218 combined rushing and receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. And the Bengals' offensive line was widely considered the best in the league, led by such Pro Bowl players as right guard Max Montoya and left tackle Anthony Muñoz. Muñoz was named the NFL Offensive Lineman of the Year the third time in his career, and was selected to play in the Pro Bowl for the 8th season in a row.

Related Topics:
Eddie Brown - Tim McGee - Rodney Holman - Ickey Woods - James Brooks - Pro Bowl - Max Montoya - Anthony Muñoz

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Benagls also had a solid defense, led by Pro Bowl defensive tackle Tim Krumrie, along with Pro Bowl defensive backs Eric Thomas and David Fulcher, who combined for 12 interceptions. The team ended up winning the AFC Central with a 12-4 record and went on to defeat the Seattle Seahawks, 21-13, and the Buffalo Bills, 21-10, in the playoffs.

Related Topics:
Tim Krumrie - Eric Thomas - David Fulcher - Seattle Seahawks - Buffalo Bills

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~