It was like watching a championship heavy weight fight; young Tony Boselli vs. Mr. "ALL EVERYTHING" Bruce Smith. Smith throws the kitchen sink at him, but nothing works ....
Boselli will not be bull rushed, cuts off Smith when he tries to goes around him and slams the champ to the ground, when he tries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aapRhZZbp94
NFL Films: Brad Benson - ( New Window )
Was about to post this one myself.
Elliot was a monster in that game, dominated Bruce Smith. The only play Smith made was the 4th quarter stop on Ottis Anderson where the TEs crossed up their blocking assignments.
Nice NFL Films production about Brad Benson’s life after football, his cattle farm and car dealership, and worth watching, but not a lot of football action, ie his matching ups vs Dexter Manley.
Boselli had a very good game, but Bruce Smith beat him around the edge more than once and held his own at the point of attack. There were a few plays Boselli blew him all the ball, and he was also double team a good percentage of the time.
Overall I think it was a fair matchup with two all time greats. I don’t see a complete shutout tho
Carl (hope you're doing well, h/t your dad), then there was that late 3rd or 4th Quarter crash by Bruce from his RDE position, Hoss forced scramble to his left within his own endzone right into the maw of Smith's pass rush, and he got a hard grip on Hoss's right (?) wrist and most of the SB watching world was sure, I was sure, it would dislodge the ball, but Hoss somehow freed his wrist from the vice and I think threw the ball to safety, incomplete
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But Brad Benson had some very memorable matchups vs Dexter Manley in 1986... Didnt hurt the John Madden spent the majority of the broadcast focused on it ;) NFL Films: Brad Benson - ( New Window )
Nice NFL Films production about Brad Benson’s life after football, his cattle farm and car dealership, and worth watching, but not a lot of football action, ie his matching ups vs Dexter Manley.
If you can find some, feel free to post it, Phil
White got 1 sack in the game, but overall Slater dominated White. Madden focused on the matchup and how Slater used different techniques throughout the whole game and that messed up White's approaches and pass rush. One play he'd cut White. The next push him upfield. The next used a headbutt to throw him off. He used his entire bag of tricks and the Rams won. Of course, if Philly had won that game, since the rules at the time were the divisional opponents couldn't face each other in the 2nd round, Philly would have gone to the Niners and the Giants would have faced the Vikings at Giants Stadium (Giants had already beaten them earlier in the season). That could have set up a likely Giants at Niners NFCC in 1989, which is something the 49ers desperately didn't want to see.
Anyhow, there you go. Also worth noting, Jumbo Elliott has responded to my posts about him in the past on twitter. He said that Charles Haley never beat him for a sack in his career, considering the battles vs Niners and Cowboys and how good Haley was, that's damn impressive.
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In comment 16076138 Matt G said:
Quote:
But Brad Benson had some very memorable matchups vs Dexter Manley in 1986... Didnt hurt the John Madden spent the majority of the broadcast focused on it ;) NFL Films: Brad Benson - ( New Window )
Nice NFL Films production about Brad Benson’s life after football, his cattle farm and car dealership, and worth watching, but not a lot of football action, ie his matching ups vs Dexter Manley.
If you can find some, feel free to post it, Phil
1986 week 14 giants at redskins - ( New Window )
That's what came to mind for me too. Not sure where it would stack up against the best in NFL history, I recall Walter Jones dominating a lot of the league's best in his prime, but for Giants fans, Benson handling Dexter Manley in 86 is the stuff of legend. Manley may not have been Bruce Smith or Reggie White, but my memory is he was a top 5 DE in football in his prime
White got 1 sack in the game, but overall Slater dominated White. Madden focused on the matchup and how Slater used different techniques throughout the whole game and that messed up White's approaches and pass rush. One play he'd cut White. The next push him upfield. The next used a headbutt to throw him off. He used his entire bag of tricks and the Rams won. Of course, if Philly had won that game, since the rules at the time were the divisional opponents couldn't face each other in the 2nd round, Philly would have gone to the Niners and the Giants would have faced the Vikings at Giants Stadium (Giants had already beaten them earlier in the season). That could have set up a likely Giants at Niners NFCC in 1989, which is something the 49ers desperately didn't want to see.
Anyhow, there you go. Also worth noting, Jumbo Elliott has responded to my posts about him in the past on twitter. He said that Charles Haley never beat him for a sack in his career, considering the battles vs Niners and Cowboys and how good Haley was, that's damn impressive.
Those mid 80s and 90s Giants OLs had a clear identity that started with Benson, Nelson, Ard and Oates and near seamlessly carried through Jumbo, Moore, Roberts, Kratch, Williams, Reisenberg.
It was really impressive in hindsight
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But Brad Benson had some very memorable matchups vs Dexter Manley in 1986... Didnt hurt the John Madden spent the majority of the broadcast focused on it ;) NFL Films: Brad Benson - ( New Window )
That's what came to mind for me too. Not sure where it would stack up against the best in NFL history, I recall Walter Jones dominating a lot of the league's best in his prime, but for Giants fans, Benson handling Dexter Manley in 86 is the stuff of legend. Manley may not have been Bruce Smith or Reggie White, but my memory is he was a top 5 DE in football in his prime
Dexter Manley in his prime was absolutely right there with any top DE in the NFL at that time.
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1st drive like 11 min rushing down their throat.
Carl (hope you're doing well, h/t your dad), then there was that late 3rd or 4th Quarter crash by Bruce from his RDE position, Hoss forced scramble to his left within his own endzone right into the maw of Smith's pass rush, and he got a hard grip on Hoss's right (?) wrist and most of the SB watching world was sure, I was sure, it would dislodge the ball, but Hoss somehow freed his wrist from the vice and I think threw the ball to safety, incomplete
Smith sacked Hostetler for a safety... But it easily could have been a strip sack and defensive TD that likely would have buried the Giants
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In comment 16076156 HopePhil and Optimistic said:
Quote:
In comment 16076138 Matt G said:
Quote:
But Brad Benson had some very memorable matchups vs Dexter Manley in 1986... Didnt hurt the John Madden spent the majority of the broadcast focused on it ;) NFL Films: Brad Benson - ( New Window )
Nice NFL Films production about Brad Benson’s life after football, his cattle farm and car dealership, and worth watching, but not a lot of football action, ie his matching ups vs Dexter Manley.
If you can find some, feel free to post it, Phil
1986 week 14 giants at redskins - ( New Window )
OMG Matt, this is freakin awesome! The intro by Pat Summerall got my blood pumping right away. Can’t wait to spend the next two hours reliving this game! Thanks!!!
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But Brad Benson had some very memorable matchups vs Dexter Manley in 1986... Didnt hurt the John Madden spent the majority of the broadcast focused on it ;) NFL Films: Brad Benson - ( New Window )
Nice NFL Films production about Brad Benson’s life after football, his cattle farm and car dealership, and worth watching, but not a lot of football action, ie his matching ups vs Dexter Manley.
Recently Benson's life took a turn due some family legal issues.
Matt, you may be right-sizing my rose colored memory; I knew Hoss averted disaster, and a safety averted the disaster of the strip sack
Art Shell dominated Jim Marshall and anyone else in path.
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1st drive like 11 min rushing down their throat.
Was about to post this one myself.
Elliot was a monster in that game, dominated Bruce Smith. The only play Smith made was the 4th quarter stop on Ottis Anderson where the TEs crossed up their blocking assignments.
Umm he also got a safety on Hoss, and still don’t know how Hoss held onto the ball and only gave up the safety and not a fumble in the end zone.
The shot of Smiths hand around Hoss’s right forearm/wrist is a classic.
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1st drive like 11 min rushing down their throat.
Carl (hope you're doing well, h/t your dad), then there was that late 3rd or 4th Quarter crash by Bruce from his RDE position, Hoss forced scramble to his left within his own endzone right into the maw of Smith's pass rush, and he got a hard grip on Hoss's right (?) wrist and most of the SB watching world was sure, I was sure, it would dislodge the ball, but Hoss somehow freed his wrist from the vice and I think threw the ball to safety, incomplete
Thanks. It’s been a tough road.