To recap, a few years ago, a good strong listener asked me to rank the franchises from #32 to #1 based on their accomplishments from Super Bowl I to present.
So I did. I wanted it to be objective, not subjective. I wanted it to be a formula and you would just enter the numbers and it would spit out the rankings with no favoritism or prejudice.
Here is how it works. Each Franchise gets 1 point for each season it makes the playoffs. Then, if it reaches the Conference Championship Game it gets a total of 3 points. If it makes the Super Bowl it gets 5, and if it wins the Super Bowl it wins the maximum total of points in a given year of 11. It used to be 10 for the Super Bowl, but I have adjusted it this year because I didn’t like the idea that 2 Super Bowl losses equaled a Super Bowl win. So, Now 11 points for a win and 5 for a loss in the Super Bowl.
I have been asked why no points are given for wins in the Wildcard round, but I decided that would not make sense with the idea that the playoffs have grown over the years and there is no way to equalize a smaller field to a larger one. Also, a Wildcard win is not that big a deal anymore with 6 teams in the playoffs, so unless you reach the Conference Title game, no additional points beyond the 1 for making the post-season.
Just add up the points for all the years, and that is the entire formula. Otherwise, I break ties based on the team with more Super Bowl wins, then Super Bowl losses, then Championship Game wins, etc. There are no ties. I will settle it somehow.
#1 - The Dallas Cowboys (Last Year, #1)
Total Points: 107
Total Playoff Years: 66C, 67C, 68, 69, 70SL, 71S, 72C, 73C, 75SL, 76, 77S, 78SL, 79, 80C, 81C, 82C, 83, 85, 91, 92S, 93S, 94C, 95S, 96, 98, 99, 03, 06, 07
The Cowboys remain the undisputed Champ since Super Bowl I. They added only 1 point in 2007, but their cushion remains substantial.
#2 - The Pittburgh Steelers (2)
Total Points: 91
Total Playoff Years: 72C, 73, 74S, 75S, 76C, 77, 78S, 79S, 82, 83, 84C, 89, 92, 93, 94C, 95SL, 96, 97C, 01C, 02, 04C, 05S, 07
Another team with high hopes in the 2007 playoffs, but Jacksonville had other idea. Nevertheless, they still sit well in the 2nd position.
#3 - The San Francisco 49ers (3)
Total Points: 85
Total Playoff Years: 70C, 71C, 72, 81S, 83C, 84S, 85, 86, 87, 88S, 89S, 90C, 92C, 93C, 94S, 95, 96, 97C, 98, 01, 02
No Change for the first team that won 5 Super Bowls.
#4 - The Oakland Raiders (4)
Total Points: 77
Total Playoff Years: 67SL, 68C, 69C, 70C, 72, 73C, 74C, 75C, 76S, 77C, 80S, 82, 83S, 84, 85, 90C, 91, 93, 00C, 01, 02SL
Tradition is fading a bit. Tough times for Al Davis and the proud Raiders.
#5 - The New England Patriots (8)
Total Points: 59
Total Playoff Years: 76, 78, 82, 85SL, 86, 94, 96SL, 97, 98, 01S, 03S, 04S, 05, 06C, 07SL
Into the top 5 for the Patriots, but they have to be thinking they lost several points in Super Bowl XLII.
#6 - The Denver Broncos (5)
Total Points: 57
Total Playoff Years: 77SL, 78, 79, 83, 84, 86SL, 87SL, 89SL, 91C, 93, 96, 97S, 98S, 00, 03, 04, 05C
Missed the playoffs this year, and fell below the New England Patriots.
#7 - The Miami Dolphins (6)
Total Points: 57
Total Playoff Years: 70, 71SL, 72S, 73S, 74, 78, 79, 81, 82SL, 83, 84SL, 85C, 90, 92C, 94, 95, 97, 98, 99, 00, 01
Just about had a winless 2007, and fell a spot as the Patriots jumped them, Washington, and the Broncos. They sit behind the Broncos by virtue of a tie-breaker (Broncos total Super Bowls, 6-5)
#8 - The Washington Redskins (7)
Total Points: 56
Total Playoff Years: 71, 72SL, 73, 74, 76, 82S, 83SL, 84, 86C, 87S, 90, 91S, 92, 99, 05, 07
Gained a point, but lost a spot to New England.
#9 - The Green Bay Packers
Total Points: 53
Total Playoff Years: 66S, 67S, 72, 82, 93, 94, 95C, 96S, 97SL, 98, 01, 02, 03, 04, 07C
They had higher ideas when the Championship game was at Lambeau, but 3 more points in the bank for the Packers.
#10 - The St Louis/Los Angeles Rams (10)
Total Points: 50
Total Playoff Years: 67, 69, 73, 74C, 75C, 76C, 77, 78C, 79SL, 80, 83, 84, 85C, 86, 88, 89C, 99S, 00, 01SL, 03, 04
Same spot as last season.
#11 - Indianapolis/Baltimore Colts (12)
Total Points: 48
Total Playoff Years: 68SL, 70S, 71C, 75, 76, 77, 87, 95C, 96, 99, 00, 02, 03C, 04, 05, 06S, 07
Up one spot with a one and done in 2007.
#12 - The Minnesota Vikings (11)
Total Points: 48
Total Playoff Years: 68, 69SL, 70, 71, 73SL, 74SL, 75, 76SL, 77C, 78, 80, 82, 87C, 88, 89, 92, 93, 94, 96, 97, 98C, 99, 00C, 04
Dropped a spot to the Colts this season.
#13 - The New York Giants (13)
Total Points: 47
Total Playoff Years: 81, 84, 85, 86S, 89, 90S, 93, 97, 00SL, 02, 05, 06, 07S
This year's big winner gained 11 unexpected points for their Super Bowl win. But, oddly, the gap was so big that they didn't pass anyone in the rankings. But now, they are hot on the heels of the Vikings and Colts.
#14 - The Buffalo Bills
Total Points: 34
Total Playoff Years: 66C, 74, 80, 81, 88C, 89, 90SL, 91SL, 92SL, 93SL, 95, 96, 98, 99
Same Spot
#15 - The Chicago Bears (15)
Total Points: 31
Total Playoff Years: 77, 79, 84C, 85S, 86, 87, 88C, 90, 91, 94, 01, 05, 06SL
Same Spot
#16 - The Kansas City Chiefs (16)
Total Points: 30
Total Playoff Years: 66SL, 68, 69S, 71, 86, 90, 91, 92, 93C, 94, 95, 97, 03, 06
Same Spot
#17 - The Philadelphia Eagles (17)
Total Points: 30
Total Playoff Years: 78, 79, 80SL, 81, 88, 89, 90, 92, 95, 96, 00, 01C, 02C, 03C, 04SL, 06
Same Spot
#18 - The Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers (18)
Total Points: 29
Total Playoff Years: 67C, 69, 78C, 79C, 80, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 99SL, 00, 02C, 03, 07
Added point, same spot.
#19 - The New York Jets
Total Points: 26
Total Playoff Years: 68S, 69, 81, 82C, 85, 86, 91, 98C, 01, 02, 04, 06
Same Spot
#20 The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (21)
Total Points: 24
Total Playoff Years: 79C, 81, 82, 97, 99C, 00, 01, 02S, 05, 07
Their playoff spot knocked them into the Top 20, passing the Cleveland by virtue of the Super Bowl title tiebreaker.
#21 - The Cleveland Browns (20)
Total Points: 24
Total Playoff Years: 67, 68C, 69C, 71, 72, 80, 82, 85, 86C, 87C, 88, 89C, 94, 02
Down a spot, as Tampa Passed by.
#22 The San Diego Chargers (22)
Total Points: 20
Total Playoff Years: 79, 80C, 81C, 82, 92, 94SL, 95, 04, 06, 07C
Another 3 points for the Chargers, but no leapfrogging.
#23 - The Cincinnati Bengals (23)
Total Points: 16
Total Playoff Years: 70, 73, 75, 81SL, 82, 88SL, 90, 05
Same Spot.
#24 - The Seattle Seahawks
Total Points: 16
Total Playoff Years: 83C, 84, 87, 88, 99, 03, 04, 05SL, 06, 07
The Bengals hold the tiebreaker here, as they have been to more Super Bowls than the Seahawks.
#25 – The Baltimore Ravens (25)
Total Points: 14
Total Playoff Years: 00S, 01, 03, 06
Same spot.
#26 – The Atlanta Falcons (26)
Total Points: 14
Total Playoff Years: 78, 80, 82, 91, 95, 98SL, 02, 04C
Same Spot.
#27 - Carolina Panthers (27)
Total Points: 11
Total Playoff Years: 96C, 03SL, 05C
Same Spot
#28 - Detroit Lions (28)
Total Points: 11
Total Playoff Years: 70, 82, 83, 91C, 93, 94, 95, 97, 99
Same Spot
#29 – The Jacksonville Jaguars (29)
Total Points: 10
Total Playoff Years: 96C, 97, 98, 99C, 05, 07
Up 1 point, with the Playoff spot.
#30 – The New Orleans Saints (30)
Total Points: 8
Total Playoff Years: 87, 90, 91, 92, 00, 06C
Same Spot.
#31 – The Arizona/St Louis Cardinals (31)
Total Points: 4
Total Playoff Years: 74, 75, 82, 98
Holding steady at 31.
#32 – The Houston Texans
Total Points: 0
Total Playoff Years: None
Still at #32.
Explanation of Years: Just the year means they made the playoffs (1 point). Year followed by “C” means they lost in the Conference Championship Game (3 points), Year followed by “SL” means they lost the Super Bowl (5 points), and Year followed by “S” means they won the Super Bowl (11 points).
10 comments:
this saints fan says the cardinals and texans can suck it!! and we're coming after the juggernaut that is the detroit lions next!!
/sarcasm
I like your points system. You should do a total points/years in existence average to see which teams have the best rate of productivity. Sorry, I'm an engineer. Oh, and Bears '06 should be "SL".
Thanks Bob, this is always interesting.
I was wondering, though, shouldn't there be SOME sort of points awarded for regular seasons. For instance, a team like the Dolphins (horrendous for the past few years) don't lose any ground even though other teams may have consistently better records. Maybe bump all the playoff/Superbowl points up by one and award a point for 8+ win seasons?
Just a thought.
Bob, it appears the Cowboys are sitting on their lead like a Parcells team.
Historically we still rock but a couple NFC championship appears the next couple years will help.
This post season was a real downer but one of the things I think you need to do to win is just keep making it. Some years as a high seed, some years just barely, but keep getting in a position where you can get some playoff wins. It doesn't always work out - see the Eagles of the last 7 or so years.
But then look at the Giants who have been 3 years in a row? And now they're champs.
Steelers had a couple of years before they made it, Indy is a great example of a team that couldn't get a playoff win, then won a Superbowl and they're still in the mix for the next few years to get back again.
As bad as NE's loss was if they don't lose Belicheck to a suspension I think they're at the top of the mix again with prob some younger defensive talent. As upsetting as it was for their fans they're in the mix.
Dallas and GB in the NFC I think will be in the mix. Obv so much can happen year to year with injuries and parity but I think the Cowboys can sustain their regular season success bc they have playmakers where you need playmakers year in and year out to get to the playoffs and it starts at QB.
SPORTS!!!
this is great. thanks bob.
Bob, I Know you have no hair protecting your skull, so let me just ask when you came up with this display of ignorance. Did you just suffer massive head trauma?? Or are you just the kind of guy who enjoys beiung a tool in Jerry Jones toolshed??
Dallas is only #1, because you are one of the local DFW hacks who wants to kiss Jerry Jones wrinkled butt.
MAN UP Bob, use whatever feeble brain cells you still retain and cast of the HOMER title, and admit Dalllas is so screwed by 12 years of MEDIOCRITY (look it up its a real word) that only a HOMER with his head up his.....would put Dallas #1 at anything.
OK got to admit got more co-opted (means Jerry's money is green Bob) sportswriters than any NFL city in America.
Bob say it loud say it proud..I am a MORON, the only way to defeat your problem is admitting it publically.
Saying Dallas is #1 requires all the thought of say Britney Spears Bob
I think this would be much more realistic if it were much more heavily weighted towards Super Bowl wins. To me, despite 0-14, Tampa is higher than any other non-Super Bowl *appearing* team, much more so if a team has never even made it. Tennesse has made it, but lost- shouldn't winning be worth more?
If you went 16 years in a row to the playoffs and lost, embarrasingly, every time you'd be higher than a team that won the superbowl in their first post-season appearance. That can't be right, can it?
Its like the Super Bowl should be worth 100, and a loss worth 20, 5 for conference championship (the value really starts to drop here), 2 for Playoff wins (period) and one for making the playoffs (Yeah, I know what I can do with my opinion).
Five losses in the Super Bowl? Well, ok at that point you can say they got there five times. But the Jets, Bears and Chiefs have each WON superbowls, shouldn't that put them higher than Buffalo?
And weighting SB appearances higher would prevent a team like Cleveland, who has never been, being ranked above six teams who have, including one who has won it. You win, you're in. Rarified air, that world championship stuff.
Cowboys will still end up on top tho, so I guess it doesn't matter..
I've always wondered how awesome it would be to design a helmet of my own. Of course to still have my favorite team (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) still embedded into the helmet, but it would be neat to play around with the graphic artwork on the helmet itself and really make it unique and stand out of the crowd!
franchise opportunities
This Super Bowl season for Pittsburgh doesn't help the Cowboys cause to remain out in front of these rankings. Yes, Dallas still has a decent lead, but this playoff drought combined with lots of recent Steelers success doesn't bode well for the Cowboys.
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