1988 Season Preview

1987

NFL Labor Strike, resulting in replacement players for 3 weeks, reducing the schedule to 15 games. The defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants went 0-3 with replacement players, thus stifling their bid to repeat.

Washington Redskins defeat Denver Broncos 42-10 in Jack Murphy Stadium in Super Bowl XXII. Doug Williams named the Super Bowl MVP. Denver’s 2nd straight AFC Championship and subsequent Super Bowl loss.

Walter Payton retired after the 1987 season, thus ending an era in Chicago and the NFL.

St Louis Cardinals move to Phoenix to become the Phoenix Cardinals and still remain in the NFC East


Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988
Ditka, Mike - Tight End - Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys
Ham, Jack - Outside Linebacker - Pittsburgh Steelers
Page, Alan - Defensive Tackle - Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears
Fred Biletnikoff – Wide Receiver – Oakland Raiders

In the 1988 Draft, with the 1st selection, the Atlanta Falcons selected linebacker Aundray Bruce from Auburn.
Notable selections:
2 Kansas City Neil Smith Nebraska
6 Los Angeles Raiders Tim Brown Notre Dame
7 Green Bay Packers Sterling Sharpe South Carolina
11 Dallas Cowboys Michael Irvin Wide Receiver Miami
13 Philadelphia Eagles Keith Jackson Tight End Oklahoma
19 Minnesota Vikings Randall McDaniel Offensive Guard Arizona State
22 Houston Oilers Lorenzo White Running Back Michigan State
24 New Orleans Saints Craig Heyward Running Back Pittsburgh
29 Detroit Lions Chris Spielman Inside Linebacker Ohio State
30 Philadelphia Eagles Eric Allen Cornerback Arizona State
31 Cincinnati Bengals Ickey Woods Running Back UNLV
40 Buffalo Bills Thurman Thomas Running Back Oklahoma State
41 Dallas Cowboys Ken Norton Jr. Middle Linebacker UCLA
46 Los Angeles Rams Willie "Flipper" Anderson Wide Receiver UCLA
80 San Francisco 49ers Bill Romanowski Outside Linebacker Boston College

The Sporting News 1988 Season predictions:

AFC

East                                                Central                                              West
x-Buffalo Bills                                  x-Cincinnati Bengals                         x-Seattle Seahawks
Indianapolis Colts                           x-Cleveland Browns                          Denver Broncos

New England Patriots                     x-Houston Oilers                               Los Angeles Raiders

New York Jets                                Pittsburgh Steelers                            San Diego Chargers

Miami Dolphins                                                                                        Kansas City Chiefs

NFC

East                                                Central                                              West

x-Philadelphia                                 x-Chicago Bears                               x-San Francisco 49ers

New York Giants                             x-Minnesota Vikings                         x-Los Angeles Rams

Washington Redskins                     Tampa Bay Buccaneers                   New Orleans Saints

Phoenix Cardinals                           Detroit Lions                                     Atlanta Falcons

Dallas Cowboys                              Green Bay Packers

x- Playoff Team

San Francisco over Cincinnati in Super Bowl XXIII