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The 1988 NFL Season Trivia Quiz

This quiz will test your memory on what happened in the NFL during the 1988 season. Good luck!

A multiple-choice quiz by mdanel93. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
mdanel93

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
280,309

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
8 / 15

Plays
1514

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 204 (12/15), Guest 192 (1/15), Guest 166 (4/15).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. What young quarterback threw an astounding 35 interceptions and had a 48.8 passer rating in 1988? Hint

Mark Malone

Steve Pelluer

Vinny Testaverde

Bubby Brister

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Question 2 of 15

2. What was the only AFC East team to finish below .500? Hint

Indianapolis Colts

New York Jets

Buffalo Bills

Miami Dolphins

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Question 3 of 15

3. What was eventual Super Bowl Champion San Francisco's record after 11 games? Hint

11-0

7-4

10-1

6-5

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Question 4 of 15

4. What team made the only midseason coaching change of 1988? Hint

Los Angeles Raiders

Green Bay Packers

Detroit Lions

Kansas City Chiefs

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Question 5 of 15

5. 1988 was shortened by one week due to a players strike.

True

False

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Question 6 of 15

6. What AFC defensive star retired midway through the 1988 season? Hint

Mike Merriweather

Howie Long

Mark Gastineau

Karl Mecklenburg

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Question 7 of 15

7. The top regular season record in 1988, shared by three teams, was what? Hint

14-2

12-4

11-5

13-3

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Question 8 of 15

8. The head coach of the Dallas Cowboys in 1988 was?

Answer: (Two words or just surname)

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Question 9 of 15

9. What team did the Bears defeat in the infamous Fog Bowl, also a Divisional Playoff game in 1988? Hint

Los Angeles Rams

New Orleans Saints

Minnesota Vikings

Philadelphia Eagles

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Question 10 of 15

10. What team, coming off two straight playoff seasons, went 0-3 in games played in domes in 1988, by a combined score of 139-37? Hint

New York Giants

New England Patriots

Washington Redskins

Denver Broncos

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Question 11 of 15

11. What was the closest game of the 1988 playoffs, resulting in a final score of 24-23? Hint

Bills over Oilers

Vikings over Rams

Oilers over Browns

49ers over Vikings

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Question 12 of 15

12. There was a regular season game in 1988 that ended in a tie.

True

False

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Question 13 of 15

13. What is true about the 1988 AFC Championship game? Hint

Buffalo elected to go for the first down twice on 4th and 1 plays in the 1st quarter

Cincinnati held Buffalo to 181 total yards and had 3 interceptions

Cincinnati's Boomer Esiason had a perfect passer rating

The game was played in record cold with a -59 degree (F) windchill

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Question 14 of 15

14. What is true about the 1988 NFC Championship game? Hint

Chicago led 3-0 with 2:00 left in the first half

It was Walter Payton's final game

There were no turnovers in the game

San Francisco's Joe Montana threw 2 TD passes to Jerry Rice including a 61-yarder

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Question 15 of 15

15. What is true about Super Bowl XXIII? Hint

On San Francisco's game winning drive, Joe Montana accidentally spiked the ball when the clock was already stopped

Cincinnati drove to the 49er 11-yard line at the end of the game, but ran out of time before they could take another snap

Cincinnati's Boomer Esiason threw for the fewest yards of any starter in Super Bowl history

Two players broke bones in their legs in the first quarter

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Most Recent Scores

Apr 18 2024 : Guest 204: 12/15
Apr 12 2024 : Guest 192: 1/15
Apr 10 2024 : Guest 166: 4/15
Apr 01 2024 : Guest 173: 5/15
Mar 26 2024 : Guest 108: 5/15
Mar 08 2024 : Guest 208: 3/15
Mar 06 2024 : Guest 174: 6/15
Feb 22 2024 : Guest 174: 7/15

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What young quarterback threw an astounding 35 interceptions and had a 48.8 passer rating in 1988?

Answer: Vinny Testaverde

Testaverde, a first-overall pick in 1987, led the disappointing Buccaneers to a 5-11 season in 1988.

2. What was the only AFC East team to finish below .500?

Answer: Miami Dolphins

Even with QB Dan Marino, the Dolphins struggled in 1988, missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season.

3. What was eventual Super Bowl Champion San Francisco's record after 11 games?

Answer: 6-5

The 1988 49er team (10-6) got hot late in the season, reeled off four straight wins after a 6-5 start, and passed the Rams to win the NFC West.

4. What team made the only midseason coaching change of 1988?

Answer: Detroit Lions

Wayne Fontes replaced Darryl Rogers as head coach of the 2-9 Lions in 1988. The team finished 4-12 and Fontes stayed for several more years.

5. 1988 was shortened by one week due to a players strike.

Answer: False

There was a strike in 1987, but 1988 saw the completion of a full 16-game schedule.

6. What AFC defensive star retired midway through the 1988 season?

Answer: Mark Gastineau

New York Jets DE Mark Gastineau retired during the 1988 season to be with his ailing girlfriend Brigitte Nielson.

7. The top regular season record in 1988, shared by three teams, was what?

Answer: 12-4

The Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, and Chicago Bears all finished 12-4 in 1988. All made Conference Championship appearances, but none would win the Super Bowl.

8. The head coach of the Dallas Cowboys in 1988 was?

Answer: Tom Landry

Tom Landry coached the Cowboys in 1988, his final season in the NFL, leading Dallas to a disappointing 3-13 record.

9. What team did the Bears defeat in the infamous Fog Bowl, also a Divisional Playoff game in 1988?

Answer: Philadelphia Eagles

The Bears beat the Eagles 20-12 to advance to the NFC Championship where they would lose to the 49ers. Both games took place at Soldier Field in Chicago.

10. What team, coming off two straight playoff seasons, went 0-3 in games played in domes in 1988, by a combined score of 139-37?

Answer: Denver Broncos

The defending AFC Champion Broncos lost to the Colts 55-23, the Saints 42-0, and the Seahawks 42-14 in their three dome games of 1988 enroute to an 8-8 finish.

11. What was the closest game of the 1988 playoffs, resulting in a final score of 24-23?

Answer: Oilers over Browns

Houston defeated the Browns 24-23 in Cleveland in the AFC Wildcard game. It was a rare playoff victory for the Oilers, who went 3-7 in their ten playoff games from 1987-1993.

12. There was a regular season game in 1988 that ended in a tie.

Answer: True

The Chiefs and Jets battled to a 17-17 tie in a Week 5 game played in New York.

13. What is true about the 1988 AFC Championship game?

Answer: Cincinnati held Buffalo to 181 total yards and had 3 interceptions

The Bengals held the Bills offense in check throughout the game and won 21-10, giving them their second Super Bowl appearance in eight years. The game was not played in sub-zero weather, unlike the Bengals' AFC Championship win over San Diego in 1981.

14. What is true about the 1988 NFC Championship game?

Answer: San Francisco's Joe Montana threw 2 TD passes to Jerry Rice including a 61-yarder

The Montana-to-Rice connection was on fire in frigid Chicago in the 1988 NFC Championship, as the 49ers earned their third Super Bowl appearance in seven years.

15. What is true about Super Bowl XXIII?

Answer: Two players broke bones in their legs in the first quarter

49er offensive lineman Steve Wallace broke his ankle and Bengal nose tackle Tim Krumrie broke his leg within minutes of each other in the first quarter of Super Bowl XXIII.

Source: Author mdanel93

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
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