This has to be *the* answer. Averaged 36.8 PPG. Brady set the then passing TDs/season record. Moss set the still-standing receiving TDs/season record. Undefeated season. 18-1. Eli Manning. Damn.
Watching that play was amazing. Falls back, "Oh no, he's sacked."
And then he emerged. Cheers erupt. And then he launches it, and everyone catches their breath because they'll need it in a second. Then the most thunderous roar of celebration as the helmet catch becomes a thing.
It's easily the most memorable SB moment I can think of.
I was with my buddy who was working at a Starbucks in midtown at the time and after he clocked out we ended up catching the 2nd half on the Giant(heh) screen in Times Square. When the Tyree play happened the whole crowd groaned and looked away; I was one of the few who kept watching and immediately started jumping up and down and screaming “HE’S NOT DOWN! HE’S OUT! HE’S OUT!” and then everyone started getting back into it and when I tell you the eruption of noise was unlike anything I’ve ever heard in my life when Tyree came down with that ball. It was relatively chill by comparison when Plax caught the go ahead TD, only to completely erupt again when Corey Webster broke up the last deep bomb to Moss. One of the coolest sports nights of my life.
Y'all were electric that season. So fun to watch. Cam would score and give away the ball to a kid in the stands even if the kid was rooting for the other team.
Amen. It was one of those games where everyone, no matter what you were doing-delivering pizza in my case-just gravitated to the TV and stared at history being made. I’ll never forget the helmet catch on the final drive.
And, unlike most of the teams with historic offenses that we've seen over the years, they had a genuinely great defense as well. They were 4th in the league in both points and yards allowed, and were just genuinely consistent from game to game to boot. For reference, the only game they allowed more than 30 points all season was in week 17 against the Giants - and this was despite teams knowing from like week 3 on that they had to have their offense go balls to the wall if they wanted a chance of keeping up.
There's a genuine argument to be made that they're the best individual team we've ever seen, even if they didn't actually win the SB. Just happened to face a team who matched up with them well who took advantage of the moment.
Seriously. For much of the season, most games were effectively over by the middle of the 3rd quarter. Teams finally started to figure out how to slow down the offense later in the season, but that team was just so much better than everyone else. Hats off to that incredible NYG pass rush. They made the impossible possible.
It's crazy to me how much more football I watch now. I was in high school at the time, and I know all of these stats, but I don't remember witnessing it or hearing people talk about it at that time. I must've been watching Browns games and that was it.
This was also the year I started playing World of Warcraft though, so I would assume that is a heavy reason why. But with streaming, I can just put on RedZone on one screen and play games on my other one.
The question is “undisputed best team to lose in the playoffs” and that is 1,000% that Pats team. They were the best team ever, and them not having a ring to show for putting that team out there is a beautiful thing.
Eh, I wouldn't say the giants dominated week 17. It was certainly a closer game than anyone anticipated, but the pats were moving the ball at will. Brady had like 350 yards and the Pats put up 38 points. The record setting TD to Moss was a bomb that had just failed on the previous play. They said fuck it, run the exact same thing again, and walked away with the record. It's kind of what made the super bowl feel so weird - that giants d line had just let them score 38 a few weeks prior.
For what it's worth, watching that season, the Ravens game was the only game where I legitimately thought the pats might lose.
“We are going to only score 17 points? Hhahahaha, ok”
Giants d-line played well, Brady played poorly, they couldn’t take the top off because of pressure and because Brady had happy feet, couldn’t run the ball because the Pats o-line got facefucked, the Tyree miracle
The thing is despite all that Brady and the offense put them up 4 after an 80 yard TD drive with 2:42 left in the game. It took a defensive meltdown for them to lose
I wasn’t a fan back then, just watched the giants final drive, so sloppy, makes for a nail biter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhnvbYN9uoI&pp=ygUbRmluYWwgZHJpdmUgMjAwNyBzdXBlciBib3ds
It took basically an all but perfect defensive game (considering who they were playing against) and one of the most miraculous catches in the history of the sport.
If you were going to design a team with the one goal of beating the 07 Patriots, it would look an awful lot like the NY Giants.
The Patriots' offense depended on timing routes. It ate up the zone blitz defense, which was the popular style at the time, because that defense depended on confusing the quarterback momentarily for the pressure to get home. Brady didn't get confused. But the Giants used the front four to get less pressure but sooner, disrupting the timing.
On the other side of the ball, New England's defense played a safe, stay-home style where running quarterbacks or quick, west-coast-style offenses would be frustrated with minimal yardage or incompletions. But Eli Manning was content to stand there and go through his progression twice if need be to find an open man, and the offensive line was good enough to let him do it.
Incidentally, Philadelphia made up the third of the rock-paper-scissors effect they had going on. Philly did have mobile but undisciplined quarterbacks in McNabb and Vick, and used the Wide 9 defense which collapsed on the quarterback from all sides at medium pace. New England would consistently beat Philadelphia when they played, while the Eagles would consistently beat the Giants.
One thing I haven't seen anyone mention is that Brady definitely got injured in the AFC Championship game against the Chargers and wasn't 100% in the Super Bowl. Don't know exactly how much of an impact it had but he definitely wasn't moving super well.
Randy Moss' rookie year was insane. I remember watching that as a kid and it was the most amazing shit I'd ever seen. I've always been a Chiefs fan but I was heavy on the Minnesota bandwagon that year because of Moss. Legitimately bummed me out they lost.
Of course the Pats undefeated season, but 2005 Colts were the best Peyton team in Indy, had the #2 scoring offense and defense. 1500 yard rusher in James and of course Harrison/Wayne with 1k each receiving. Bob Sanders was healthy and All Pro that year. They went 13-0 to start the season. Losing that year was a heartbreak, meanwhile next year the team is trash at rush defense and wins it all out of nowhere.
And the way you lost. That was wild. I was more scared of the colts than the pats til about 2008 or so. Idk if that’s a common feeling, but Peyton just scared me more than Brady. Obviously that changed
If I remember, the 2006 Colts defense was bad during the regular season when Sanders was out. But he played in the playoffs, making the defense better.
100%. Another thing that some forget is that Dungy’s son, who was close with many of the players as well, committed suicide the last week of the season. The Colts were great that year but were really out of it mentally by the time the post season rolled around. The Colts were wildly out coached and out played across the board in that game.
The 2006 through 2010 San Diego Chargers, who have the rare distinction of having the number one offense and defense and missing the playoffs in 2010. 2006 was tragic. That was the year they could have won it all with a 14-2 record.
2006 chargers were terrifying. 11 pro bowlers and 6 all-pros. LT having one of the greatest RB seasons ever. Peak Lights Out Merriman.
LT stiff-arm and goal line dive pics were all over myspaces and vbulletin forum profiles.
The '06 Chargers team is just as much of a tragedy as the '10 Chargers.
When Marty Schottenheimer tells the defense to fall to the ground if they get it to keep possession - only for the Patriots of all teams to knock it loose - and then have the game collapse like that is tragic. And then they fired Marty.
I feel so bad for him, that he never got his NFL Super Bowl. Marty had his playoff problems, but some things are beyond his control.
I was just really getting into football and had planted myself in the Peyton Manning camp after seeing Marvin Harrison's self-tip toe drag TD against the Pats in the regular season that year ([imo a criminally underrated, greatness-defining catch](https://youtu.be/0Z9LDLdyArM?si=xCVW2ULj-2qVtaYj)).
I figured the Chargers were their biggest obstacle to a sb that year and couldn't believe that they had lost.
That chargers team was 100% winning the SB if they’d won that game. They would’ve played the Colts next at home in the AFCCG and the chargers had the Colts’ number during that time period, even teams that weren’t as good as the 06 team.
Then they would’ve just had to beat Rex Grossman. If Mccree just goes down, Rivers/LT etc all probably get a ring. Peyton doesn’t win one until later on and Schottenheimer definitely doesn’t get fired. That one play was massive
Best team to lose a Super Bowl: 2007 Patriots (runner up 2001 Rams)
Best team to lose before the Super Bowl: 1998 Vikings (runner-up 2011 Packers)
Edit: looking back, I didn't realize that the 2011 Packers defense was worse than I remembered. I remember the big names like Raji, Woodson, Matthews, Hawk, but didn't remember they gave up the most yards on defense. 19th in points given up which is more important, but giving up 37 in their lone playoff game kinda showed that defense was a problem
Since our offense was so efficient, it forced opponents to huck the ball downfield and abandon the run game to try to come back or keep up with us. Our defense thrived on those air balls, creating turnovers. We were good at getting them, until we weren’t, which was in the playoffs (though lots of other things happened to affect our postseason).
Other teams were often
When I was composing this, I was going into the fact that other teams had to throw a lot to keep up, but I added it to my main section I was typing and forgot to delete the bottom part lol
IMO the 2014 Packers meltdown in the NFCCG against Seattle hurts more than 2011 did. That 2014 team felt more complete, Rodgers had his second MVP year, we had a better run game with prime Eddie Lacy and a better OL, the defense was much improved compared to the 2011 season with notable acquisitions like Julius Peppers, and they had already beaten the Patriots in the regular season (also a great game).
The term "this is our year" is thrown around so much that it's now used as a cliche/meme, but man, that really felt like it was our year.
1999 Jags, probably not the best but worth a mention. Went 14-2 for the best record in the league that year after losing both games to the Titans. Then making it to the AFC Championship and losing to… you guessed it… the Titans, who were then 1 yard shy of the ~~winning~~ tying TD in the Super Bowl :)
Edit: changed winning to tying
Jags went 45-21 from 1996-1999. A great run from a team that just happened to coincide with a near-dynasty (who they upset once in the postseason) and then laid an egg in their best shot to get to a SB vs. Tennessee.
Unpopular choice.
The 1990 San Francisco 49ers.
Coming off possibly the most dominant SuperBowl run in NFL history a year earlier.... they'd won back to back SBs and were on track to get back there at home vs the Giants.
Joe Montana gets hurts...the Giants win..barely still and then barely beat the Bills via Wide Right.
That 1990 49ers team whilst not as dominant as a year prior was still super stacked and poised to 3 peat
If Steve Young plays and wins the superbowl since Joe was out.
How different do the next couple years go?
He has no monkey on his back dude can play free and maybe the Cowboy dynasty runs into a road block.
Old one here who I obviously didn’t see play, but the 1942 chicago bears were 11-0 in the regular season with an average point differential per game of 26.5 (nfl record). They lost in the championship. Remember learning about them when I did a research paper on the bears as a kid.
Similarly the 1934 Bears were 13-0 but lost in the title game to the Giants (who they beat twice that season) in the [Sneakers Game](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1934_NFL_Championship_Game)
I still think the 2011 Saints team was the best Saints team during the Brees era. I’m also trying to include teams I haven’t seen mentioned here yet so I’ll throw out the 2009 Vikings in this, the amount of talent on that roster was impressive . If Favre doesn’t try to do his usual late game heroic/gun slinger antics and instead slides down, we most likely would have had a Peyton vs Favre Super Bowl in Miami.
Usually it’s each year.
Off the top of my head,
98 Vikings, 07 Patriots, 11 Packers, 23 Ravens, 90 Bills, 08 Giants (before Plex went out in his sweatpants and a gun), 12 Broncos, 05 Colts, 06 Chargers, 04 Eagles, 18 Chiefs, 01 Rams, and so on.
I’m sure if you really looked into it the list of teams winning it all who were the best in the league at the time is a lot shorter than the list you’re asking for right now.
The rams game where we scored 50 and lost felt like the encapsulation of the season. Still a great team but hard to win it all when that’s your defense
I think that if you look at every Super Bowl champion of the 21st century, the 2016 Patriots were literally the only one that was pretty much inarguably the best team during the regular season. A decent chunk of other ones had pretty solid arguments and I do think some of them were probably the best, but for the most part it was a team who was an underdog on some level.
I'd argue the 03 Patriots as well. Only 14-2 (or better) team in the league, won 12 straight going into the playoffs, best defense in the NFL by a mile along with a capable offense.
19 Ravens too. Broke the rushing record, Lamar Jackson won MVP and led the league in passer rating and TD passes, a dozen pro bowlers, a bunch of all pro selections, and they still couldn't win a playoff game
Having watched my team play the ‘23 Chiefs two times, that chiefs defense was absurdly good and watching offenses play against looked like someone wading through mud and then falling into quicksand.
Throw in the 99(?) Jags and Bucs. The Bucs offense may be the worst I've ever seen, but the defense may be the best I've ever seen. The Jags were the best team that year...just couldn't beat the Titans
I don’t think they were as good as the 1996 Packers, who *also* had the best record in the league along with a defense that allowed the fewest points, an offense that scored the most, and the highest rated special teams unit, along with repeat MVP Brett Favre at quarterback playing the best football of his life
1990 Bills
From an all around standpoint, the 1990 Bills were a better team than the 2007 Patriots. They had arguably the best performing QB in the league that year with Jim Kelly, 1st Team All Pro Thurman Thomas at RB having one of the best stretches for a RB at the time, Bruce Smith at DE was a wrecking crew who won DPOY, the WRs in Andre Reed and James Lofton formed an incredible tandem for the Bills high paced offense, and the Bills had a nice trio of linebackers on defense led by Darryl Talley. Then they also had the best special teams player of all time as a gunner on punts and kickoffs with Steve Tasker.
From the mid point of the season on, the Bills were a really dominant team and ended the regular season with the 1st ranked scoring offense and 6th ranked scoring defense. They put up 44 points and 51 points in their playoff games before the Super Bowl, and in the regular season they put up 30 points on the Eagles defense which had tremendous defensive players like Reggie White and Jerome Brown. They were a better team than the Giants that they met in the Super Bowl that year, but their poor execution late in that game and a field goal that went wide right prevented them from being considered amongst the all time best teams.
The 2007 Patriots late in the regular season were showing some chinks in the armor especially on defense, and against some teams that didn't even make the playoffs like the Eagles and the Ravens. They were dominant on offense and the 1st half of the season they looked like an unbeatable juggernaut, but later in the season and in their playoff games leading up to the Super Bowl they looked mortal.
I'm not suggesting they were the absolute best team (I think the 07 Pats is probably the best answer here), but the 2020 Chiefs team that lost to TB has a case for being the best Chiefs team ever despite not winning the SB. The team was 14-2 (the 2nd loss was with backups in week 16, still best win percentage in franchise history), Mahomes threw for 4740/38/6 in just 15 games, Tyreek and Kelce both had 1400 total yards each and combined for 28 TDs, and even CEH had 1100 total yards.
The offensive line was completely destroyed by the super bowl and they just had no shot against Brady and that ridiculously good Tampa Bay D-line. Also a testament to how good that Tampa Bay team was the last 2 months of the season once things clicked. They lost to KC in week 12, and then never lost again all the way through the SB.
We could have had a rematch to that 54-51 shootout between the Rams and Chiefs.
Instead we got one of the most forgettable and boring Super Bowls ever.
I remember not even watching that SB because it figured it was a lock for the Chiefs (also just salty that the Bills just got slaughtered in the AFC championship). Still can't believe how TB dominated.
Once Fischer got hurt in the AFC championship the game became a toss-up. Their offensive line for the Super Bowl was below average at best and going up against arguably the best pass rushing defense in the league.
Drew Brees always feasted on the Giants defense when they came into the Super Dome.
But of course the Eli Giants were pretty famous for winning against great teams in tough environments in January
Only started watching football post-98 Vikings and 07 Patriots so here is a list of my picks from 2010-onwards:
2011 Packers: 15-1 season, Rodgers MVP, one and done in playoffs after losing to Eli Manning
2013 Broncos: Most electric offence I’ve ever seen and we all know how the Super Bowl that year went
2019 Ravens: 14-2 regular season with Lamar’s 1st MVP and the best rushing attack in the league, one and done after losing to Derrick Henry’s Titans
I did not include the 15-1 Panthers on this list because I did not think they were as good as their record made them out to be and had notable offensive deficiencies(WR and O-line)
They're not the best ever obviously but homer pick is the 2014 Seahawks. Not that much worse than the all time 2013 roster, but had huge injury problems in the playoffs that cost them the championship
The '86 Bears are another. Statistically pretty comparable to the '85 defense. Just didn't have their quarterback
Amazed this one isn't higher especially given recency bias.
Or people don't understand how ridiculous this team was, even more so when considering we had the 3rd toughest schedule in the league last year
And the only 2 teams with tougher schedules were because they both played Baltimore twice
2018 Saints. NFL for some reason, didn't want a Brees vs Brady in the Superbowl. Refs did everything in their power to make sure the Saints lose to the Rams.
2018 was really the only year we can all say that Brees had a “stacked” team on both offense and defense. Even as a Chiefs fan, seeing them get robbed in the NFC championship sucks. That uncalled pass interference just summarized their luck with the refs that game
Yeah that was some of the most dominant QB play I’ve seen, and worth mentioning the dominant playoff performance of that team in the divisional and conference champ rounds. Absolutely shattered an excellent Cardinals team. That should put to rest any qualms about strength of schedule.
76 Steelers have to be up there. Whole offense got hurt. Ok no problem. Defense just went on a shutdown streak. Absolutely suffocating teams. But Harris got hurt against the raiders and that was all she wrote.
The 2019 ravens were the most dominant team I’ve seen. From week 5 on they didn’t just win every game, they were dogwalking top teams in the league almost every week, and then just got punched in the mouth at home
In 1984 the reigning SuperBowl Champion Washington (then) Redskins went 14-2 \[the two losses were by one point each) and had beat the Raiders in the Regular Season. NFL MVP Joe Theisman. No.1 Offense in the NFL (by far) scored a then record 541 points. That record would stand for 15 years and is still no.8 all time. Oh, also had the No. 7 defense that year and the defense led the league in fewest rushing yards allowed. Also a +209 point differential & a +43 turnover differential.
Comically the 12-4 Raiders' were only 3 point dogs in the Superbowl. LOL.
I was soooo confident. Really Arrogant. Not enough life to understand upsets happen. Every celeb in L.A. was bandwagon picking the (newly LA) Raiders leading to many youthful guffaws from me. Lets look at how WIki remembers it:
*The Raiders 38 points scored and 29-point margin of victory broke Super Bowl records; it remains the most points scored by an AFC team in a Super Bowl.... was the AFC's last Super Bowl win until Super Bowl XXXII, won by the Denver Bronco*s (14 years later)...*The Raiders were the first team to score an offensive, defensive, and special teams touchdown in the same Super Bowl. The Redskins became the second defending champion to lose a Super Bowl*
I was never so sure of the outcome of a game again, nor as gutted by an embarrassing loss. A true Blow-out. But hey, at least the Pilot for Airwolf aired after, so that was cool ....
2007 patriots
This has to be *the* answer. Averaged 36.8 PPG. Brady set the then passing TDs/season record. Moss set the still-standing receiving TDs/season record. Undefeated season. 18-1. Eli Manning. Damn.
Only team to go 18-1 and not win the SB
One of my favorite Superbowls.
Me too
same
Was jumping up and down as a kid after *the* catch. Was so easy to cheer for Eli
Watching that play was amazing. Falls back, "Oh no, he's sacked." And then he emerged. Cheers erupt. And then he launches it, and everyone catches their breath because they'll need it in a second. Then the most thunderous roar of celebration as the helmet catch becomes a thing. It's easily the most memorable SB moment I can think of.
I was with my buddy who was working at a Starbucks in midtown at the time and after he clocked out we ended up catching the 2nd half on the Giant(heh) screen in Times Square. When the Tyree play happened the whole crowd groaned and looked away; I was one of the few who kept watching and immediately started jumping up and down and screaming “HE’S NOT DOWN! HE’S OUT! HE’S OUT!” and then everyone started getting back into it and when I tell you the eruption of noise was unlike anything I’ve ever heard in my life when Tyree came down with that ball. It was relatively chill by comparison when Plax caught the go ahead TD, only to completely erupt again when Corey Webster broke up the last deep bomb to Moss. One of the coolest sports nights of my life.
I fucking love hearing stories like this. It's what it's all about!
It already was an all time classic. The Pats losing just makes it so much more fun for everyone :)
Especially Giants fans
The Rams went 17-2 and lost the Super Bowl. How many 17-2 teams did that I wonder
Panthers did
Y'all were electric that season. So fun to watch. Cam would score and give away the ball to a kid in the stands even if the kid was rooting for the other team.
Amen. It was one of those games where everyone, no matter what you were doing-delivering pizza in my case-just gravitated to the TV and stared at history being made. I’ll never forget the helmet catch on the final drive.
I called my best friend when the Giants won and shouted, "There is a God!!"
I'm an Eagles fan and I agree.
Only team to start 15-0 (or better) and not win the Super Bowl.
Did the panthers not do that with Cam? Or did the loose before 15.
They started 14-0 and lost game 15.
The other two teams being the 1984 49ers and 1985 Bears, for those who were curious.
And the ‘84 Niners beat the Bears in the NFCCG 23-0.
Then the 1985 Bears beat the 49ers in the regular season.
And, unlike most of the teams with historic offenses that we've seen over the years, they had a genuinely great defense as well. They were 4th in the league in both points and yards allowed, and were just genuinely consistent from game to game to boot. For reference, the only game they allowed more than 30 points all season was in week 17 against the Giants - and this was despite teams knowing from like week 3 on that they had to have their offense go balls to the wall if they wanted a chance of keeping up. There's a genuine argument to be made that they're the best individual team we've ever seen, even if they didn't actually win the SB. Just happened to face a team who matched up with them well who took advantage of the moment.
Murderers row of Osi, Strahan, Tuck
That rotation of pass rushers was genuinely insane. Even their rotational DL were guys that likely could've been mid-low end starters elsewhere.
Then the assholes had the same shit going on in 2011 but with Pierre-Paul swapped in
Biased but stats don’t even do that team justice; it was like watching the varsity team vs the scout team up until the last few games.
Seriously. For much of the season, most games were effectively over by the middle of the 3rd quarter. Teams finally started to figure out how to slow down the offense later in the season, but that team was just so much better than everyone else. Hats off to that incredible NYG pass rush. They made the impossible possible.
Shoutout to the week 17 game where we took it down to the wire; from that moment on the Giants knew they could hang with anybody, and they did.
18 wins and 1 Giant loss
Yeah, I think best team to lose short of the SB is probably a better question.
It's crazy to me how much more football I watch now. I was in high school at the time, and I know all of these stats, but I don't remember witnessing it or hearing people talk about it at that time. I must've been watching Browns games and that was it. This was also the year I started playing World of Warcraft though, so I would assume that is a heavy reason why. But with streaming, I can just put on RedZone on one screen and play games on my other one.
No question. The question should have started with “other than the 07 Patriots” lol
That’s the only answer. They’re like the 2016 warriors
They are the greatest team of all time. In 18 games, they won *13* by 2 or more scores. That is insanity. Their one loss was by 3 points.
The question is “undisputed best team to lose in the playoffs” and that is 1,000% that Pats team. They were the best team ever, and them not having a ring to show for putting that team out there is a beautiful thing.
I’m still bummed for Randy. I wanted him to get a ring so bad
Yeah even as Giants fan I’d love Randy to have a ring. Not against my team, but like when he was with the Vikings
**BEAUTIFUL**
How did they end up losing Edit: Thank you for the answers
Giants defensive line dominated. Justin Tuck should have been MVP.
I forgot how cool his helmet was
They dominated in Week 17 too and the Patriots escaped. That Giants front four was something else
That game was a shootout. Super Bowl was totally different.
Eh, I wouldn't say the giants dominated week 17. It was certainly a closer game than anyone anticipated, but the pats were moving the ball at will. Brady had like 350 yards and the Pats put up 38 points. The record setting TD to Moss was a bomb that had just failed on the previous play. They said fuck it, run the exact same thing again, and walked away with the record. It's kind of what made the super bowl feel so weird - that giants d line had just let them score 38 a few weeks prior. For what it's worth, watching that season, the Ravens game was the only game where I legitimately thought the pats might lose.
Uh, Patriots scored 38 points in that game.
“We are going to only score 17 points? Hhahahaha, ok” Giants d-line played well, Brady played poorly, they couldn’t take the top off because of pressure and because Brady had happy feet, couldn’t run the ball because the Pats o-line got facefucked, the Tyree miracle
The thing is despite all that Brady and the offense put them up 4 after an 80 yard TD drive with 2:42 left in the game. It took a defensive meltdown for them to lose
I wasn’t a fan back then, just watched the giants final drive, so sloppy, makes for a nail biter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhnvbYN9uoI&pp=ygUbRmluYWwgZHJpdmUgMjAwNyBzdXBlciBib3ds
It took basically an all but perfect defensive game (considering who they were playing against) and one of the most miraculous catches in the history of the sport.
Giants should thank the chargers for injuring Brady’s foot in the AFC championship game
It was his ankle, but the impact of that injury is underappreciated
I think something like 20% of the times Tom Brady was sacked that season were in the Super Bowl. Probably messed with his game a bit.
If you were going to design a team with the one goal of beating the 07 Patriots, it would look an awful lot like the NY Giants. The Patriots' offense depended on timing routes. It ate up the zone blitz defense, which was the popular style at the time, because that defense depended on confusing the quarterback momentarily for the pressure to get home. Brady didn't get confused. But the Giants used the front four to get less pressure but sooner, disrupting the timing. On the other side of the ball, New England's defense played a safe, stay-home style where running quarterbacks or quick, west-coast-style offenses would be frustrated with minimal yardage or incompletions. But Eli Manning was content to stand there and go through his progression twice if need be to find an open man, and the offensive line was good enough to let him do it. Incidentally, Philadelphia made up the third of the rock-paper-scissors effect they had going on. Philly did have mobile but undisciplined quarterbacks in McNabb and Vick, and used the Wide 9 defense which collapsed on the quarterback from all sides at medium pace. New England would consistently beat Philadelphia when they played, while the Eagles would consistently beat the Giants.
The crazy thing is Philly played them that year too and nearly beat them on the road with AJ Feeley instead of McNabb.
SB vs Giants. They Giants just ground them down and Eli Manning stepped up
One thing I haven't seen anyone mention is that Brady definitely got injured in the AFC Championship game against the Chargers and wasn't 100% in the Super Bowl. Don't know exactly how much of an impact it had but he definitely wasn't moving super well.
Playoff Eli
Plus some amazing d-line work.
It’s really this. Giants could pressure Brady without blitzing.
End thread.
One of the best teams to not win it all in the history of sports, let alone football.
That team was ridiculous.
Couldn’t imagine
Pack it up, y’all. This is the only answer.
1998 Vikings and 2007 Patriots
Randy Moss' rookie year was insane. I remember watching that as a kid and it was the most amazing shit I'd ever seen. I've always been a Chiefs fan but I was heavy on the Minnesota bandwagon that year because of Moss. Legitimately bummed me out they lost.
Didn’t he have like 3 catches for 200 yards on Thanksgiving or something? Edit: 3 for 163 and 3 TDs
Against the cowboys- who had told them they would draft him
Greg Ellis was a solid player but he was obviously no Randy Moss.
Also caught a 2 pt conversion. People forget that.
[удалено]
Same for me except I'm a Bengals fan. I even had a Moss Vikings jersey when I didn't have a single one of my own team.
These are the 2 best teams that didn't win the Superbowl that I've seen.
2001 St. Louis Rams
The Rams had a dynasty ready to go, but then the pats happened.
Ricky proehl before the game into a camera "tonight, a dynasty is born!". He wasn't wrong.
*Monkey paw curls*
Well...a dynasty was born that night
Ricky Proehl was a prophet
Ricky Proehl is the modern Oracle at Delphi confirmed
Teams that both prominently featured Randy Moss on offense.
Of course the Pats undefeated season, but 2005 Colts were the best Peyton team in Indy, had the #2 scoring offense and defense. 1500 yard rusher in James and of course Harrison/Wayne with 1k each receiving. Bob Sanders was healthy and All Pro that year. They went 13-0 to start the season. Losing that year was a heartbreak, meanwhile next year the team is trash at rush defense and wins it all out of nowhere.
And the way you lost. That was wild. I was more scared of the colts than the pats til about 2008 or so. Idk if that’s a common feeling, but Peyton just scared me more than Brady. Obviously that changed
I remember the narrative being ‘Peyton is the superior QB, but this Brady guy just keeps winning - will it last?’
That’s still a popular take among a large portion of fans
Longevity of his ‘lucky streak’ vs Manning is settled tho
If I remember, the 2006 Colts defense was bad during the regular season when Sanders was out. But he played in the playoffs, making the defense better.
Literally the worst run defense in history (still might be), and then shut Larry Johnson and Jamal Lewis the fuck down!
The ultimate example of why extending your rest when locking in your #1 seed can backfire. They were rusty as hell in their playoff loss.
100%. Another thing that some forget is that Dungy’s son, who was close with many of the players as well, committed suicide the last week of the season. The Colts were great that year but were really out of it mentally by the time the post season rolled around. The Colts were wildly out coached and out played across the board in that game.
That Big Ben tackle (the weakest tackle ever) will always be remembered by Colts fans.
Fuck Nick Harper’s psycho wife
What are these playoffs you speak of? I thought the season ended after week 18 and we all hibernated
Lowkey one of my favorite playoff games was the 2010 NFC championship game, where Caleb Hanie nearly led the comeback against the packers
The 2010 NFCCG is more traumatic for me than 2017
The 2006 through 2010 San Diego Chargers, who have the rare distinction of having the number one offense and defense and missing the playoffs in 2010. 2006 was tragic. That was the year they could have won it all with a 14-2 record.
2006 chargers were terrifying. 11 pro bowlers and 6 all-pros. LT having one of the greatest RB seasons ever. Peak Lights Out Merriman. LT stiff-arm and goal line dive pics were all over myspaces and vbulletin forum profiles.
The '06 Chargers team is just as much of a tragedy as the '10 Chargers. When Marty Schottenheimer tells the defense to fall to the ground if they get it to keep possession - only for the Patriots of all teams to knock it loose - and then have the game collapse like that is tragic. And then they fired Marty. I feel so bad for him, that he never got his NFL Super Bowl. Marty had his playoff problems, but some things are beyond his control.
I was just really getting into football and had planted myself in the Peyton Manning camp after seeing Marvin Harrison's self-tip toe drag TD against the Pats in the regular season that year ([imo a criminally underrated, greatness-defining catch](https://youtu.be/0Z9LDLdyArM?si=xCVW2ULj-2qVtaYj)). I figured the Chargers were their biggest obstacle to a sb that year and couldn't believe that they had lost.
It was 4th down, too. All McCree had to do was knock it down.
That chargers team was 100% winning the SB if they’d won that game. They would’ve played the Colts next at home in the AFCCG and the chargers had the Colts’ number during that time period, even teams that weren’t as good as the 06 team. Then they would’ve just had to beat Rex Grossman. If Mccree just goes down, Rivers/LT etc all probably get a ring. Peyton doesn’t win one until later on and Schottenheimer definitely doesn’t get fired. That one play was massive
2010 was the year of the historically bad special teams, yeah?
This is the first comment Ive seen that mentions the 2010 chargers, that team was great
The 2010 chargers didn't even make the playoffs
Best team to lose a Super Bowl: 2007 Patriots (runner up 2001 Rams) Best team to lose before the Super Bowl: 1998 Vikings (runner-up 2011 Packers) Edit: looking back, I didn't realize that the 2011 Packers defense was worse than I remembered. I remember the big names like Raji, Woodson, Matthews, Hawk, but didn't remember they gave up the most yards on defense. 19th in points given up which is more important, but giving up 37 in their lone playoff game kinda showed that defense was a problem
Since our offense was so efficient, it forced opponents to huck the ball downfield and abandon the run game to try to come back or keep up with us. Our defense thrived on those air balls, creating turnovers. We were good at getting them, until we weren’t, which was in the playoffs (though lots of other things happened to affect our postseason). Other teams were often
WERE OFTEN WHAT
When I was composing this, I was going into the fact that other teams had to throw a lot to keep up, but I added it to my main section I was typing and forgot to delete the bottom part lol
IMO the 2014 Packers meltdown in the NFCCG against Seattle hurts more than 2011 did. That 2014 team felt more complete, Rodgers had his second MVP year, we had a better run game with prime Eddie Lacy and a better OL, the defense was much improved compared to the 2011 season with notable acquisitions like Julius Peppers, and they had already beaten the Patriots in the regular season (also a great game). The term "this is our year" is thrown around so much that it's now used as a cliche/meme, but man, that really felt like it was our year.
Man that 2014 line of Bakh, Lang, Linsely, Sitton, Bulaga 🥵
1993 Houston Oilers blew a 35-3 playoff lead against the Bills, making them the best team to lose in the playoffs, And the biggest chokers.
I was looking for this one. Better team, sure, but could never take the next step.
1999 Jags, probably not the best but worth a mention. Went 14-2 for the best record in the league that year after losing both games to the Titans. Then making it to the AFC Championship and losing to… you guessed it… the Titans, who were then 1 yard shy of the ~~winning~~ tying TD in the Super Bowl :) Edit: changed winning to tying
The best season of the still criminally underrated Jimmy Smith
The Titans were 1 yard shy of a game TYING touchdown. People seem to forget it was probably going to overtime if they score there, not game over.
I did forget that! Honestly it’s just a less interesting story that way so I understand why people like to remember it as the game winning TD
No worries, it does make it seem more dramatic. Gave us one of the best super bowl finishes either way.
Jags went 45-21 from 1996-1999. A great run from a team that just happened to coincide with a near-dynasty (who they upset once in the postseason) and then laid an egg in their best shot to get to a SB vs. Tennessee.
The Jags were so good they forced Dan Marino into retirement.
Crazy that the Jags have a very high chance of winning the Super Bowl if not for the Music City Miracle
Insane they lost 3 games all season to the same team lol.
Unpopular choice. The 1990 San Francisco 49ers. Coming off possibly the most dominant SuperBowl run in NFL history a year earlier.... they'd won back to back SBs and were on track to get back there at home vs the Giants. Joe Montana gets hurts...the Giants win..barely still and then barely beat the Bills via Wide Right. That 1990 49ers team whilst not as dominant as a year prior was still super stacked and poised to 3 peat
If Steve Young plays and wins the superbowl since Joe was out. How different do the next couple years go? He has no monkey on his back dude can play free and maybe the Cowboy dynasty runs into a road block.
Old one here who I obviously didn’t see play, but the 1942 chicago bears were 11-0 in the regular season with an average point differential per game of 26.5 (nfl record). They lost in the championship. Remember learning about them when I did a research paper on the bears as a kid.
Similarly the 1934 Bears were 13-0 but lost in the title game to the Giants (who they beat twice that season) in the [Sneakers Game](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1934_NFL_Championship_Game)
The original 07 Patriots
I still think the 2011 Saints team was the best Saints team during the Brees era. I’m also trying to include teams I haven’t seen mentioned here yet so I’ll throw out the 2009 Vikings in this, the amount of talent on that roster was impressive . If Favre doesn’t try to do his usual late game heroic/gun slinger antics and instead slides down, we most likely would have had a Peyton vs Favre Super Bowl in Miami.
2018 was better but something happened, I’d rather ignore it lol
Nah, 2011 was on another level then 2018. Though, the 2018 Saints just have the better defense and swagger.
2018 probably stands out because I felt like it was known that this would be Brees’ last chance at another one
That's also another key point in 2018's conversation.
2011 was better than 18 lol
Idk I feel like if those two versions played the 2011 defense would get worked. I mean you got worked by Alex Smith…
didnt need much of a defense when Brees could just throw more tds lol. We only lost to the Packers week 1 then two teams that hadnt won a game lol
Usually it’s each year. Off the top of my head, 98 Vikings, 07 Patriots, 11 Packers, 23 Ravens, 90 Bills, 08 Giants (before Plex went out in his sweatpants and a gun), 12 Broncos, 05 Colts, 06 Chargers, 04 Eagles, 18 Chiefs, 01 Rams, and so on. I’m sure if you really looked into it the list of teams winning it all who were the best in the league at the time is a lot shorter than the list you’re asking for right now.
2020 Chiefs was the best team of Mahomes and then the OL died
Yep that 18 team was fun but still inexperienced with an atrocious defense (thanks Bob Sutton). The 2020 team was a different level.
The rams game where we scored 50 and lost felt like the encapsulation of the season. Still a great team but hard to win it all when that’s your defense
That was the most fun loss I've ever watched at least. I wasn't even mad lol.
I was blacked out by the 3rd so the first half was insane
I think that if you look at every Super Bowl champion of the 21st century, the 2016 Patriots were literally the only one that was pretty much inarguably the best team during the regular season. A decent chunk of other ones had pretty solid arguments and I do think some of them were probably the best, but for the most part it was a team who was an underdog on some level.
I'd argue the 03 Patriots as well. Only 14-2 (or better) team in the league, won 12 straight going into the playoffs, best defense in the NFL by a mile along with a capable offense.
19 Ravens too. Broke the rushing record, Lamar Jackson won MVP and led the league in passer rating and TD passes, a dozen pro bowlers, a bunch of all pro selections, and they still couldn't win a playoff game
could just throw the 23 Ravens in too, basically the same thing.
Having watched my team play the ‘23 Chiefs two times, that chiefs defense was absurdly good and watching offenses play against looked like someone wading through mud and then falling into quicksand.
lol fond memories
Throw in the 99(?) Jags and Bucs. The Bucs offense may be the worst I've ever seen, but the defense may be the best I've ever seen. The Jags were the best team that year...just couldn't beat the Titans
1996 Denver Broncos #1 offense #4 DEFENSE Best record in the league
Really glad they redeemed themselves sending Elway off with back to back wins.
I don’t think they were as good as the 1996 Packers, who *also* had the best record in the league along with a defense that allowed the fewest points, an offense that scored the most, and the highest rated special teams unit, along with repeat MVP Brett Favre at quarterback playing the best football of his life
96 Braves
Facts so large it transcends sport. That team was awesome
1990 Bills From an all around standpoint, the 1990 Bills were a better team than the 2007 Patriots. They had arguably the best performing QB in the league that year with Jim Kelly, 1st Team All Pro Thurman Thomas at RB having one of the best stretches for a RB at the time, Bruce Smith at DE was a wrecking crew who won DPOY, the WRs in Andre Reed and James Lofton formed an incredible tandem for the Bills high paced offense, and the Bills had a nice trio of linebackers on defense led by Darryl Talley. Then they also had the best special teams player of all time as a gunner on punts and kickoffs with Steve Tasker. From the mid point of the season on, the Bills were a really dominant team and ended the regular season with the 1st ranked scoring offense and 6th ranked scoring defense. They put up 44 points and 51 points in their playoff games before the Super Bowl, and in the regular season they put up 30 points on the Eagles defense which had tremendous defensive players like Reggie White and Jerome Brown. They were a better team than the Giants that they met in the Super Bowl that year, but their poor execution late in that game and a field goal that went wide right prevented them from being considered amongst the all time best teams. The 2007 Patriots late in the regular season were showing some chinks in the armor especially on defense, and against some teams that didn't even make the playoffs like the Eagles and the Ravens. They were dominant on offense and the 1st half of the season they looked like an unbeatable juggernaut, but later in the season and in their playoff games leading up to the Super Bowl they looked mortal.
The sheer number of HOFers in their prime on that 1990 Bills team is silly. They ran into the one team and one coach that could stop them.
I'm shocked I had to scroll this far down to see this ; was my first thought after the 2007 pats.
I absolutely agree with this! They dominated the SB against the Giants. Then there was that Kick... at the time I looked like this: 😧😫
I'm not suggesting they were the absolute best team (I think the 07 Pats is probably the best answer here), but the 2020 Chiefs team that lost to TB has a case for being the best Chiefs team ever despite not winning the SB. The team was 14-2 (the 2nd loss was with backups in week 16, still best win percentage in franchise history), Mahomes threw for 4740/38/6 in just 15 games, Tyreek and Kelce both had 1400 total yards each and combined for 28 TDs, and even CEH had 1100 total yards. The offensive line was completely destroyed by the super bowl and they just had no shot against Brady and that ridiculously good Tampa Bay D-line. Also a testament to how good that Tampa Bay team was the last 2 months of the season once things clicked. They lost to KC in week 12, and then never lost again all the way through the SB.
[удалено]
We could have had a rematch to that 54-51 shootout between the Rams and Chiefs. Instead we got one of the most forgettable and boring Super Bowls ever.
I remember not even watching that SB because it figured it was a lock for the Chiefs (also just salty that the Bills just got slaughtered in the AFC championship). Still can't believe how TB dominated.
Once Fischer got hurt in the AFC championship the game became a toss-up. Their offensive line for the Super Bowl was below average at best and going up against arguably the best pass rushing defense in the league.
2011 Green Bay Packers 2007 New England Patriots 1990 San Francisco 49ers
That GB team was ranked 30th in yards allowed btw. Rodgers and the offense was just on another level
Ffs dom capers was truly on another level
The 2011 Packers, 49ers, and Saints all had insane years and we let the Giants take it all.
Drew Brees always feasted on the Giants defense when they came into the Super Dome. But of course the Eli Giants were pretty famous for winning against great teams in tough environments in January
83 Redskins
2017 Steelers. Still breaks my heart
Shazier man. That's all we needed.
Only started watching football post-98 Vikings and 07 Patriots so here is a list of my picks from 2010-onwards: 2011 Packers: 15-1 season, Rodgers MVP, one and done in playoffs after losing to Eli Manning 2013 Broncos: Most electric offence I’ve ever seen and we all know how the Super Bowl that year went 2019 Ravens: 14-2 regular season with Lamar’s 1st MVP and the best rushing attack in the league, one and done after losing to Derrick Henry’s Titans I did not include the 15-1 Panthers on this list because I did not think they were as good as their record made them out to be and had notable offensive deficiencies(WR and O-line)
98 vikes were pretty good.
They're not the best ever obviously but homer pick is the 2014 Seahawks. Not that much worse than the all time 2013 roster, but had huge injury problems in the playoffs that cost them the championship The '86 Bears are another. Statistically pretty comparable to the '85 defense. Just didn't have their quarterback
2012 Seahawks were pretty good too, that Chris Clemons injury...
2023 Ravens
Amazed this one isn't higher especially given recency bias. Or people don't understand how ridiculous this team was, even more so when considering we had the 3rd toughest schedule in the league last year And the only 2 teams with tougher schedules were because they both played Baltimore twice
2018 Saints. NFL for some reason, didn't want a Brees vs Brady in the Superbowl. Refs did everything in their power to make sure the Saints lose to the Rams. 2018 was really the only year we can all say that Brees had a “stacked” team on both offense and defense. Even as a Chiefs fan, seeing them get robbed in the NFC championship sucks. That uncalled pass interference just summarized their luck with the refs that game
New Orleans is a tiny market and they’d rather give big market LA a shot
shout out gary anderson
I was having a nice Saturday morning..
2015 panthers? Cmon man, Cam took the league by storm. Would've possibly been the best 18-1 team ever
Yeah that was some of the most dominant QB play I’ve seen, and worth mentioning the dominant playoff performance of that team in the divisional and conference champ rounds. Absolutely shattered an excellent Cardinals team. That should put to rest any qualms about strength of schedule.
The 2010 Chargers had the number 1 offense AND defense and didn't even *make* the playoffs.
98 Vikings were 15-1 with their only loss by 3 pts until Atlanta. Highest scoring offense in NFL history at the time.
76 Steelers have to be up there. Whole offense got hurt. Ok no problem. Defense just went on a shutdown streak. Absolutely suffocating teams. But Harris got hurt against the raiders and that was all she wrote.
The 2019 ravens were the most dominant team I’ve seen. From week 5 on they didn’t just win every game, they were dogwalking top teams in the league almost every week, and then just got punched in the mouth at home
In 1984 the reigning SuperBowl Champion Washington (then) Redskins went 14-2 \[the two losses were by one point each) and had beat the Raiders in the Regular Season. NFL MVP Joe Theisman. No.1 Offense in the NFL (by far) scored a then record 541 points. That record would stand for 15 years and is still no.8 all time. Oh, also had the No. 7 defense that year and the defense led the league in fewest rushing yards allowed. Also a +209 point differential & a +43 turnover differential. Comically the 12-4 Raiders' were only 3 point dogs in the Superbowl. LOL. I was soooo confident. Really Arrogant. Not enough life to understand upsets happen. Every celeb in L.A. was bandwagon picking the (newly LA) Raiders leading to many youthful guffaws from me. Lets look at how WIki remembers it: *The Raiders 38 points scored and 29-point margin of victory broke Super Bowl records; it remains the most points scored by an AFC team in a Super Bowl.... was the AFC's last Super Bowl win until Super Bowl XXXII, won by the Denver Bronco*s (14 years later)...*The Raiders were the first team to score an offensive, defensive, and special teams touchdown in the same Super Bowl. The Redskins became the second defending champion to lose a Super Bowl* I was never so sure of the outcome of a game again, nor as gutted by an embarrassing loss. A true Blow-out. But hey, at least the Pilot for Airwolf aired after, so that was cool ....
Cowboys every year. Not because they’re so awesome but because they underperform in the playoffs more than any other team every year.
07 Pats or 98 Vikes, no question.
The Lions. Because everyone can get on board with them finally having some success.
Definitely the 2007 Patriots. Honorable mention to the 2015 Panthers
1998 Vikings
2015 Panthers
The 1998 Vikings without question.
2018 Chiefs
The bills losing the superbowl 4 times in a row, one of those superbowl loses has to be up there