1998 NFL season

1998 National Football League season
Regular season
Duration September 6 – December 28, 1998
Playoffs
Start date January 2, 1999
AFC Champions Denver Broncos
NFC Champions Atlanta Falcons
Super Bowl XXXIII
Date January 31, 1999
Site Pro Player Stadium, Miami, Florida
Champions Denver Broncos
Pro Bowl
Date February 7, 1999
Site Aloha Stadium

The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.

The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium (Adelphia Coliseum) in Nashville.

This was the first season that CBS held the rights to televise American Football Conference games, taking over the package from NBC. Meanwhile, this was the first time that ESPN broadcast all of the Sunday night games throughout the season (this was also the first season in which ESPN’s coverage used the Monday Night Football themes, before reverting to using an original theme in 2001).

Football Outsiders noted “1998 was the last hurrah for the great quarterbacks who came into the league in the 1980s. The top four QBs [statistically] were all over 35: Vinny Testaverde, Randall Cunningham, Steve Young, and John Elway. Troy Aikman, age 32, was fifth. Dan Marino was 11th in his last good year.”[1]

The season ended with Super Bowl XXXIII when the Denver Broncos defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34-19 at the Pro Player Stadium in Florida. The Broncos had won their first thirteen games, the best start since the undefeated 1972 Dolphins, and were tipped by some to have a realistic chance at winning the full nineteen games.[2][3] The Minnesota Vikings became the first team since the 1968 Baltimore Colts to win all but one of their regular season games and not win the Super Bowl.

Major rule changes

1998 NFL Season Changes

Stadium changes

Uniform changes

1998 Coaching Changes

Final regular season standings

W = Wins, L = Losses, PCT = Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against

Clinched playoff seeds are marked in parentheses and shaded in green. No ties occurred this season.

AFC East
TeamWLPCTPFPA
(2) New York Jets 124.750416266
(4) Miami Dolphins 106.625321265
(5) Buffalo Bills 106.625400333
(6) New England Patriots 97.563337329
Indianapolis Colts 313.188310444
AFC Central
TeamWLPCTPFPA
(3) Jacksonville Jaguars 115.688392338
Tennessee Oilers 88.500330320
Pittsburgh Steelers 79.438263303
Baltimore Ravens 610.375269335
Cincinnati Bengals 313.188268452
AFC West
TeamWLPCTPFPA
(1) Denver Broncos 142.875501309
Oakland Raiders 88.500288356
Seattle Seahawks 88.500372310
Kansas City Chiefs 79.438327363
San Diego Chargers 511.313241342
NFC East
TeamWLPCTPFPA
(3) Dallas Cowboys 106.625381275
(6) Arizona Cardinals 97.563325378
New York Giants 88.500287309
Washington Redskins 610.375319421
Philadelphia Eagles 313.188161344
NFC Central
TeamWLPCTPFPA
(1) Minnesota Vikings 151.938556296
(5) Green Bay Packers 115.688408319
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 88.500314295
Detroit Lions 511.313306378
Chicago Bears 412.250276368
NFC West
TeamWLPCTPFPA
(2) Atlanta Falcons 142.875442289
(4) San Francisco 49ers 124.750479328
New Orleans Saints 610.375305359
Carolina Panthers 412.250336413
St. Louis Rams 412.250285378

Tiebreakers

Playoffs

                                   
Jan. 3 – Alltel Stadium   Jan. 10 – Giants Stadium          
 6  New England  10
 3  Jacksonville  24
 3  Jacksonville  25     Jan. 17 – Mile High Stadium
 2  N.Y. Jets  34  
AFC
Jan. 2 – Pro Player Stadium  2  N.Y. Jets  10
Jan. 9 – Mile High Stadium
   1  Denver  23  
 5  Buffalo  17 AFC Championship
 4  Miami  3
 4  Miami  24   Jan. 31 – Pro Player Stadium
 1  Denver  38  
Wild Card Playoffs  
Divisional Playoffs
Jan. 3 – 3Com Park  A1  Denver  34
Jan. 9 – Georgia Dome
   N2  Atlanta  19
 5  Green Bay  27 Super Bowl XXXIII
 4  San Francisco  18
 4  San Francisco  30     Jan. 17 – Humphrey Metrodome
 2  Atlanta  20  
NFC
Jan. 2 – Texas Stadium  2  Atlanta  30*
Jan. 10 – Humphrey Metrodome
   1  Minnesota  27  
 6  Arizona  20 NFC Championship
 6  Arizona  21
 3  Dallas  7  
 1  Minnesota  41  

* Indicates overtime victory

Statistical leaders

Team

Points scoredMinnesota Vikings (556)
Total yards gainedSan Francisco 49ers (6,800)
Yards rushingSan Francisco 49ers (2,544)
Yards passingMinnesota Vikings (4,328)
Fewest points allowedMiami Dolphins (265)
Fewest total yards allowedSan Diego Chargers (4,208)
Fewest rushing yards allowedSan Diego Chargers (1,140)
Fewest passing yards allowedPhiladelphia Eagles (2,720)

Individual

ScoringGary Anderson, Minnesota (164 points)
TouchdownsTerrell Davis, Denver (23 TDs)
Most field goals madeAl Del Greco, Tennessee (36 FGs)
RushingTerrell Davis, Denver (2,008 yards)
PassingRandall Cunningham, Minnesota, (106.0 rating)
Passing touchdownsSteve Young, San Francisco (36 TDs)
Pass receivingO.J. McDuffie, Miami (90 catches)
Pass receiving yardsAntonio Freeman, Green Bay (1,424)
Receiving touchdownsRandy Moss, Minnesota (17 touchdowns)
Punt returnsDeion Sanders, Dallas (15.6 average yards)
Kickoff returnsTerry Fair, Detroit (28.0 average yards)
InterceptionsTy Law, New England (8)
PuntingCraig Hentrich, Tennessee (47.2 average yards)
SacksMichael Sinclair, Seattle (16.5)

Awards

Most Valuable PlayerTerrell Davis, Running Back, Denver
Coach of the YearDan Reeves, Atlanta
Offensive Player of the YearTerrell Davis, Running Back, Denver
Defensive Player of the YearReggie White, Defensive End, Green Bay
Offensive Rookie of the YearRandy Moss, Wide Receiver, Minnesota
Defensive Rookie of the YearCharles Woodson, Cornerback, Oakland
NFL Comeback Player of the YearDoug Flutie, Quarterback, Buffalo

External links

References

  1. 1998 DVOA Ratings and Commentary
  2. “Denver eyes 19–0, but there's no rush” in Minneapolis Star Tribune, November 16, 1998
  3. Freeman, Mike; “Chasing Perfection and Taking Questions; Voluble Broncos Are 13–0 and Ready to Talk” in New York Times, December 9, 1998
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