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This 11-5Oakland Raiders teamfinished second in the AFC West in an era when there were only three divisions. Both Cowboys-Bills Super Bowl were blowouts, but this one was at least competitive into the third quarter. If the Kansas City Chiefs didn't have a generational quarterback in Patrick Mahomes and a Hall of Fame head coach in Andy Reid, the Bills would have reached their first Super Bowl in 27 years. Peyton Manning was on another level this season, leading his offense to score a jarring 37.9 points per game, but the team around him was lacking. All Rights Reserved. They're returning the 2020 MVP and had the league's most efficient offense last year -- yes, even better than Kansas City's. Historically, those are difficult to duplicate.. Please check your email for a confirmation. In a season without a normal offseason due to the pandemic, the 142 defending champs looked like easy Super Bowl favorites. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Peyton Manning dragged him and the rest of the team there. Despite the strength of the division, the 49ers play one of the easiest strength of schedules in the league (SOS rank: 29th). This Baltimore Colts was coached by Don Shula and averaged 28.7 points per game in the '60s. The Buffalo Bills are coming off their first conference championship game appearance since 1993 while the Cleveland Browns won their first playoff game since 1995. There's enough depth to get by. Cleveland Browns +1700 (bet $10 to win $180 total), Are the Browns a better team than the Cowboys? People think of Kerry Collins when they think of this 124 Giants squad, but this defense was the real story. The Panthers and Patriots gave us the most exciting fourth quarter in Super Bowl history, combining for five scores, including an 85-yard pass by Jake Delhomme, which remains a Super Bowl record, and Adam Vinatieris game-winning kick as time expired. Cincinnatis late onside kick attempt failed and deprived us of what could have been a classic ending. The 2007 New England Patriots won every game (160) and did so in tremendous fashion. Just when the Falcons appeared to have a team set to contend for a playoff berth in 2021, Atlanta traded Julio Jonesto the Titans for draft picks. Another dynasty toppled by Tom Brady, but the "Legion of Boom" should not be undersold. WebThe Los Angeles Rams won in Super Bowl LVI versus the Bengals on February 13, 2022. In the Super Bowl, Pittsburgh managed just 16 points and won a defensive slugfest 16-6. They went 3-0.. You may have been expecting one of the more famous Super Bowl results to land a little higher on the list. Webworst defense to win super bowlaiken county sc register of deeds worst defense to win super bowl Arizona still needs more help in the secondary, but defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has man-cover corners to fit his scheme. You can make a case that every team that endured the best shots from every one of their opponents throughout the season, found a way to win enough With a 131 record, this Oakland Raiders team would be higher, but not as good as some of the other late '60s losing teams. The Cardinals added more playmakers to surround Murray this offseason with A.J. Sure, it was a massive upset and Joe Namaths guarantee adds to the lore, but the game itself was a bore. One yard away from not even being on this list, the 133 Titans were solid. But the rest of the roster is important, too. and quarterback rating (112.4). You can follow him on Twitter at @jasonrmcintyre. The one Peyton let get away. The game was won with Ben Roethlisbergers perfect pass to Santonio Holmes, who somehow got two feet down in the back of the end zone. Slightly. Ask Dan Marino, who went to one. It truly is a remarkable tale, but the Patriots were nothing special on the way there. But a lot of credit needs to be given to running backs Ickey Woods and James Brooks, who both combined for 1,997 yards and 29 touchdowns. Any NFL fan intuitively knows that basing strength of schedule on the previous season's record is a fool's errand because teams' abilities change too much from year to year to go off that, not to mention the fact that a single NFL season is not always a great indicator for the talent of a team. Los Angeles Rams +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total). Tough division, and they open with three of four on the road. OK, so this game was never in doubt, this was Bill Walshs 49ers dynasty at its apex. Yes, the Chiefs -- not the Super Bowl-champion Buccaneers -- are projected to be the best team and also have the best chances to hoist the Lombardi trophy next February. In one of our 20,000 sims, the Eagles took the crown at 5-11-1. They had a four-game losing streak, two in overtime, they were actually really good on both offense and defense. Sign up for the For The Win newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. 51. But even with all that, its not even the best Super Bowl of the last two years. With an 11-2-1 record, this group was one of many Vikings teams that should have won the big game. Stroud, Will Levis, Anthony Richardson don't lack confidence at NFL combine, Bettors are backing Bears, Lions, Jets to make, win Super Bowl, NFLPA report cards show link between player-friendly coaches and winning, Georgia's Nolan Smith turns heads with blazing 40 at NFL combine, Alabama QB Bryce Young confident in abilities, downplays questions about frame, Stroud opposes Bears drafting him, defends Fields: 'That's his team', Sharp: Ravens have themselves to blame for not getting Lamar Jackson help, 49ers offseason preview: Potential Super Bowl team must figure out QB spot. I'll take my chances on a 1-in-15 shot that the Niners put all the pieces back together and raise the Lombardi in February. Because there is a salary cap. When teams win the players want raises forcing teams to lose some players. This is what is happening to Green Bay an 15. The presence of Lawrence gives Jacksonville hope for the first time in years. Kansas City would be favored by 1.3 points over Tampa Bay on a neutral field if the teams were to suit up for a rematch tomorrow, FPI believes. The Dolphins capped off the only perfect season ever, despite Garo Yepremian give us an all-time blooper. Jacksonville Jaguars +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total), "Dont tell me what you think tell me whats in your portfolio. This unit -- like the offense -- has the potential to be an elite group. Las Vegas Raiders +6600 (bet $10 to win $670 total), One of the most dysfunctional teams in the league, the Raiders once again scream "stay away. Washington led 24-3 at one point. The Falcons still have Matt Ryan at quarterback, who has thrown for the most passing yards in the league over the last three years and has a emerging star in Calvin Ridley and a game-changing tight end in rookie first-rounderKyle Pitts. The NFL didn't have a full season due to a strike, so it is hard to put a 72 team ahead of others. The NFC, with two of the top six teams in FPI rating, is a little less threatening than the AFC. The game that confirmed Joe Flacco was elite. This Super Bowl gave us a bunch of memorable performances. That they have to play each other twice and are vying for the same divisional crown are limiting factors when it comes to win total and a chance to earn the coveted top seed in the AFC. Yet I can see the defense making a Washington-type leap, and the offensive weapons are there for whoever wins the starting job. Instead, Baltimore is here due to how poorly it played in its Super Bowl win. The first five weeks of Indianapolis' schedule are rough, as the Colts host the Seahawks and Rams before hitting the road to face the Titans, Dolphins and Ravens. 3) Only one of their final seven opponents has a season win total under 8.5. Finishing 133 and a high-energy offense by Sean McVay, the Rams were a force to be reckoned with. The Cardinals defense significantly improved with the addition of J.J. Watt and the return of Chandler Jones on the pass rush. To handle the uncertainty in the timing of Wentz's return, FPI gives the QB a very small chance to play in Week 1 and gradually increases the chance of his return until Week 8 -- spanning the range of the recovery timeline laid out last week by coach Frank Reich. Yes, they have the best QB, a fleet of skill players and a fantastic coach, but history is not on their side. Fran Tarkenton is one of many players on this list that deserved a Super Bowl ring. Kind of. Head coach Bill Cowher would get Super Bowl redemption the next decade, but this 115 team was pretty great all around. Seattle Seahawks +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total), Will we see the first-half Seahawks (6-1, 34 points per game! There are quite a few contenders to win their first Super Bowl in 2021, and the two favorites reside in the loaded AFC. At 10-4-1, this Broncos team was better balanced than the '86 team. John Elway finally won his ring in a well-played game that featured one of the best performances by a running back in Super Bowl history. Tennessee's offense is going to have to do most of the work in order to repeat at AFC South champions. Let's dive into the 2021 FPI projections with the 10 biggest takeaways. However, New York went just 10-6 in the regular season. Oh, and they had Terrell Owens, who was a superstar. The NFC West features three of FPI's top 10 teams in the Rams, 49ers and Seahawks, and the 21st-ranked Cardinals aren't necessarily an easy out, either. Christian McCaffrey's return makes the Panthers formidable, as the front office restructured the offensive line. Theyve won 35 regular-season games in the last three seasons for a reason., When narratives build for example, that Lamar Jackson cant win in the playoffs you can find an edge fading them., 1. 20 David Tyree: 2008 Giants Known for his improbable catch in the Super Bowl and how it essentially won the Giants the game, it also hasn't been lost that Tyree was just a mediocre player at best, at any point during his career. It's all about the schedule. That being said, wait until they lose the opener to Tampa, and then get them at possibly better odds. It was the biggest upset in football history for a reason. Complete team-by-team FPI projections US residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data. The 10 Worst NFL Teams to Ever Win a Super Bowl - Sportscasting The Los Angeles Rams won in Super Bowl LVI versus the Bengals on February 13, 2022. The Ravens and Browns rank fourth and sixth in FPI rating -- basically true talent level -- but are fifth and seventh in chances to reach the playoffs and win the Super Bowl, respectively. Even if Kevin Dyson had pulled a Michael Jordan in Space Jam and reached the ball over the goal line, the game would have gone to overtime. Seriously, the Vikings are never allowed to make another Super Bowl. Bettis got his ring before retirement andthe Steelersgreatly overachieved in the process. The Dolphins won their second consecutive Super Bowl in a game that was over well before the fourth quarter. This game will be remembered for two plays: The surprise onside kick to start the second half and Tracy Porters game-sealing pick-6 of Manning. Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, Team-by-team strength-of-schedule rankings, Projecting the NFL's best and worst pass-protecting offensive lines: 1-32 ranking, Ranking all 32 NFL teams based on how much better (or worse) they got this offseason, NFL Future Power Rankings: Projections for all 32 teams for the next three seasons, Watson sexually assaulted them or engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. They had an outstanding defense, and thats what won them the The game that gave us all of those 28-3 jokes. Take note: This isn't technically a ranking of the teams from very worst to very best, although the worse teams tend to be toward the bottom and the better teams toward the top. The 1970s Steelers gave us one last entertaining Super Bowl before its dynasty ended. But they have arguably the toughest schedule in the NFC (nine games against playoff teams from 2020), including a stretch that goes: at Baltimore, at Chargers, home vs Aaron Rodgers, at the 49ers. Throw in Trent Dilfer leading the other offense and a game that was never competitive, and this is easily the worst Super Bowl of all-time. It featured the great comeback, the only overtime in Super Bowl history, not one but two spectacular catches and a fascinating chess match between the Falcons and Patriots coaching staffs. 23. WebTechnically the truth. It was a sloppy game that was marred by questionable refereeing, but Bill Cowher and Jerome Bettis finally winning a Lombardi Trophy thanks to Willie Parkers record-setting touchdown run and Hines Ward throwing for a score made this a memorable Super Bowl. This one was actually pretty entertaining for the first 30 minutes. that each ranks in the top 10. and Im sorry, but Dan Campbell is not winning the Super Bowl this year., 30. An 11-win season leaning on the talent of John Elway and the defense's ability to hold teams to under three touchdowns. Bart Starr won MVP with only 13 completions. It has to be the 2016 Atlanta Falcons. Up 28-3 at the end of the third quarter, they couldn't hold off the Patriots in the biggest game of the year He finished fourth in the league in completion percentage (69.2), fifth in passing yards, fifth in passing touchdowns, and fourth in passer rating -- while also rushing for 421 yards and eight touchdowns. The Jaguars are still going to be exciting to watch in 2021 as Urban Meyer is the best college coach to enter the NFL in years, having arguably the most talented quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck in Trevor Lawrence. Gruden did bring the Raiders back from almost a decade of ineptness and he did win a Super Bowl against the Raiders, but the rest of his career he was pretty much a .500 coach. The Vikings uncharacteristically had a poor defense in 2020, ranking 29th in points allowed after finishing as a top 10 unit the previous five seasons. This Bills team should have won a Super Bowl and it is hard to believe looking back. And in these two cases, both quarterbacks will have below-average pass protection in front of them, and both will be trying to compensate for their teams' defenses, which both rank in FPI's bottom six. This 97 Cardinals team scored 78. With Aaron Rodgers' future in limbo, the Vikings could be primed to win the NFC North. 31. Los Angeles is going to score points this year. Had Rodgers simply decided to retire rather than suit up, Green Bay's chances to make the playoffs would have dropped from 70% to 24%, and their Super Bowl chances would have dropped from 6% to 0.2%. edit: grammar FPI is able to reconcile that issue to determine a more accurate SOS. When Indianapolis traded for Wentz, the organization bet on a bounce-back year from the former Eagles quarterback. This may not be the worst championship team of all time, but these Steelers werebarely ataste ofthe greatness that wasto come in the following years. Going 7-2 in one-score games last year will regress. If Baker Mayfield improves from last season's campaign, the Browns will contend for a Super Bowl in 2021. This year, theres a chance theyre 4-0 heading into a week five game against the Cowboys. The AFL just wasn't ready yet, but they were still very good for AFL standards with an 11-2-1 record. With a hostage crisis in Iran taking attention away from the game, the Raiders and Eagles made sure Americans too concerned to tune into a football game didnt miss much. FPI has created preseason projections every year since 2015, and the 2021 Chiefs rank third out of the seven favorites, behind the 2017 Patriots (32%) and 2020 Chiefs (22%). For a team with quarterback uncertainty, it could be much worse. The Bills could not close the deal in this four-year span, and most frustrating of all, all these teams were pretty well-balanced. The Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos have been involved in some of the worst Super Bowls, but so have the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys. He's a key piece in guiding Tennessee to its first championship. The most interesting thing about this Super Bowl remains Hank Strams micd up footage. 18. Oh yeah, Marino's offense averaged 32.1 points per game, too. So, which teams have won it all, but look inferior to their championship brethren in retrospect? Sure the game was over by the end of the second quarter, but watching Steve Young (six touchdown passes) and Jerry Rice (three touchdown receptions) tear up the Chargers was a joy to watch. They had one of the league's best defenses that year. Is this a bad thing?No, but it does not exactly make for one of the most dominant championship teams of all time. This is one of the worst rosters in the league, but Houston (at least) has a chance to win games if Watson plays. This team is just two years removed from the AFC Championship Game and is in position to "win now." The Bucs finished the season, including playoffs, with the sixth-most efficient defense under coordinator Todd Bowles. Arizona Cardinals +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total), Yes, they got older with J.J. Watt and A.J. Buffalo Bill's in 1992 super bowl against Dalls Cowboys have up 52 points to there offense managed 17pts (How about them cowboys.) that's pretty ba The agony of defeat. An 11-5 record was good enough for first place in the AFC East, yet New England was 5-5 through 10 games. The worst of the Bills Super Bowl teams at 115, but Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas still elevated them offensively. This should have been a great game. This game did feature one of the best defenses in NFL history, but watching it dismantle a Kerry Collins-led offense wasnt all that exciting. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury has to commit to running the ball besides using Murray on designed carries, or else Arizona will experience the same second-half swoon as last year. Buffalo actually led going into halftime before being outscored 21-0 in the second half. Mahomes becomes the first quarterback to win the regular-season NFL most-valuable-player award and the Super Bowl in the same season in 23 years. Here are the 10 teams most likely to win Super Bowl LV: Kansas City vs. Tampa Bay is still not that likely, however. 3. This was a great Super Bowl, but can we stop saying the Titans were one yard short of winning it? Super Bowl V. Brett Favre had 35 passing touchdowns and Dorsey Levens ran for 1,435 yards. Out of 35 qualified quarterbacks last season, Darnold finished 33rd in completion percentage, 30th in interception percentage, 32nd in yards per attempt, and 35th in passer rating. 11 in the league, per FPI) isn't a problem with that kind of strength on the other side of the ball. Dolphins fullback Larry Csonka plows between Vikings LB Jeff Siemon (50) and safety Paul Krause for one of his two touchdowns in the Dolphins 24-7 Super Bowl VIII win. 55) Super Bowl XLVIII (2013) The 2013 Seahawks were able to take advantage of this game to solidify themselves as an all-time NFL defense. The only team in the division with a positive FPI rating -- making it above average -- is the Dallas Cowboys, who are just barely there at +0.7 (meaning they would be favored over an average NFL team by less than a point). The defense ranked just 24th in the league that year, and a questionable call known as the "Tuck Rule" against the Oakland Raiders in the divisional round helped the Patriots reach the Super Bowl when many believed they did not belong. It has been updated to include Super Bowl LII. ), or the second-half Seahawks (only topped 30 points once in the final seven games, and it was vs the hapless Jets)?, Seattle has lost three of its past four playoff games and not made the NFC title game since 2014., 11. The Colts have the third worst odds at +15000, while the Texans have the worst overall odds at +30000. Matt Ryan was an MVP and led the best offense, but the defense surrendered 25.4 points per game. 20. Defensively, they were 22nd in points scored against, and it showed in the Super Bowl. 3 overall pick Trey Lance entering the season. Brady and Belichick established the Patriots as a dynasty with their third Lombardi in four years. This team is starting to scratch the surface of its potential. 1: 3: 17: 313: 305: 40.0: Unless Tua Tagovailoa makes a Josh Allen-type leap and the offensive line improves, theres just no shot at the Super Bowl. Its more fun to speculate on the Bears QB race than it is their actual Super Bowl chances., 24. In the playoffs, Indianapolis Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt had to have a meltdown of epic proportions to send the Steelers to the Conference Championship and cover up for Bettis' fumble earlier in the contest. This isn't just about winning the closely contested division, though. Jalen Hurts will not pull a Kurt Warner this year and lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl.. On footballs biggest stage we want games featuring memorable teams, star players, plays that well never forget and compelling storylines. Adding a consistent pass rush will make this team more competitive, but competing for a Super Bowl appears to be years away. We cant put a Super Bowl featuring Rex Grossman too high on the list, but Peyton Manning winning his first ring salvages this one. The "Greatest Show On Turf" was the potential dynasty derailed by New England Patriots. Were on a run of blowouts now. 6) Jon Gruden, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Yes, the New York Giants knocked off the 18-0 New England Patriots. By contrast, FPI is bullish on Cleveland's offense -- which ranks third in the league behind the Chiefs and Packers but ahead of the Bills -- but gives the Browns the 18th-best defense. They took down what was supposed to be the greatest team in NFL history and instead became one of the least likely Super Bowl champions in recent memory. Theres a reason teams from the NFC North are so low here, and its the schedule. Cincinnati Bengals +10000 (bet $10 to win $1010 total), The Bengals will be improved, but theyre not higher on this list for three reasons:. Between free agency and players opting back in from 2020, New England had a massive talent infusion.. section: | slug: ranking-12-teams-that-never-won-a-super-bowl-by-best-chance-to-win-title-in-2021-high-hopes-in-buffalo | sport: football | route: article_single.us | Chicago Bears +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total). Seattle came in with the leagues best defense. A.J. The run offense needs to be stronger with Devin Singletary and Zack Moss as the offensive line has to create better holes up front to take the pressure off Allen. Green and Rondale Moore at wide receiver. Id have to guess the 2000 Baltimore Ravens. They had an outstanding defense, and thats what won them the Superbowl, but they didnt score many touch Cleveland already has one of the game's best pass rushers in Myles Garrett and cornerbacks in Denzel Ward. The Texans did finish 4-12 last season, even as Watson reached career highs in completion percentage (70.2), passing yards (4,823), touchdown passes (33). I much prefer the Eagles to maybe sneak into the playoffs, as their only road game this season against a playoff team from last year is at Washington on Jan. 2. Buffalo is on the doorstep of reaching the league championship game, thanks to the emergence of Josh Allen as one of the game's best quarterbacks. There's talent on the Falcons, but they are such an unknown heading into 2021. I'm sure fans in Baltimore still curse Joe Namath's Super Bowl guarantee. WebWell looking at it from a "in comparison to the rest of the league that year" perspective, as far as defenses that allowed the most points, these rank as the 3 worst defenses to win a Super Bowl: 2011 Giants were the 25th ranked defense 2006 Colts were the 23rd ranked defense 2009 Saints were the 20th ranked defense Stefon Diggs is one of the game's best wide receivers and Gabriel Davis is one of the underrated young wideouts in the league. Buffalo also addedEmmanuel Sanders to the mix, making the passing game even more formidable. The problem is that for the first time in years, the Patriots have a brutal schedule. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. To show you how wildly that fluctuates, in those categories the year before, Miami ranked 29th, 24th, and 27th.. The Philadelphia Eagles were the most recent team to leave the "never won a Super Bowl" club, but the league only has three first-time Super Bowl winners since the start of the 2009 season. The game lacked memorable moments but is significant because it was Elways last. Carolina Panthers +7000 (bet $10 to win $710 total), The Panthers were a fantastic 8-4 against the spread as an underdog last year, and theyre going to be underdogs frequently again this year. The team that benefited from Norwood's egregious error, the New York Giants, was not particularly exceptional. The game itself may not be memorable but Marcus Allens 191-yard performance, which included the greatest run in Super Bowl history, pushes it into the top-30. A full explanation for how FPI works can be found here, but here's the abridged version: The model determines forward-looking strength ratings for every team based on a variety of factors, including team win total, projected starting quarterback, returning starters and past performance on offense, defense and special teams. In fact, he is widely regarded as one of the worst starting quarterbacks to ever win a Super Bowl. Four of those teams made the playoffs last year and Miami won 10 games. A fullback even if it was Hall of Famer Larry Csonka winning MVP tells you just how entertaining this one was. Another Broncos blowout. Kansas City will be this team's measuring stick, as the Chiefs are the only roster more talented than Buffalo's in the AFC. 1 pick, Ex-Patriots star McGinest facing eight years in prison, Commanders rip 'blatantly false' team sale report, Last Super Bowl appearance: 2016 (Super Bowl 50), Last Super Bowl appearance: 2017 (Super Bowl LI), Last Super Bowl appearance: 1990 (Super Bowl XXIII), Last Super Bowl appearance: 1995 (Super Bowl XXIX), Last Super Bowl appearance: 1977 (Super Bowl XI), Last Super Bowl appearance: 2009 (Super Bowl XLIII), Last Super Bowl appearance: 2000 (Super Bowl XXXIV), Last Super Bowl appearance: 1994 (Super Bowl XXVIII). From Devin Hester to an elite defense led by Brian Urlacher, this team earned their spot on the biggest stage.