Best NFL teams of Super Bowl era to NOT go to the Super Bowl

[ninersdd]

On 5/12/2017 at 9:20 AM, DG_Now said:

 

Shut up.

That team had flippin Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney as their top two receivers. They shouldn't have made it that far if not for some serious mental midgetry by the Chargers.

[DnBronc]

On 5/13/2017 at 1:44 PM, JWhiz96 said:

In 95 the Chiefs (13-3) were clearly better than the Colts (11-5), who lost Marshall Faulk. If Elliott makes just one of those field goals the game goes into OT where the Chiefs probably win it. And let's be honest, they probably beat Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship the next week.

 

The 1995 Chiefs only played four games against teams that would finish with a winning record (SD twice, Dallas, Miami), and they went 2-2 in those games. And, if Charger LB Lewis Bush didn't drop an INT in OT in Chief territory (in their Week 6 MNF game at KC), they probably end up 1-3. 

 

Everything broke right for them that year, from the McNair fumble in the Houston game to the Bush INT drop to Bono's sneak against the Cardinals. At the end of the day, though, I knew that they were a pretender, and they proved it. 

[Cujo]

On ‎5‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 10:13 AM, JWhiz96 said:

No, there hasn't. For every 1976 or 1985, there's a 2001 tuck-rule game or 2014 comeback-from-14-twice game.

 

Anyways, here are my best teams to never win a Super Bowl:

 

1. 1998 Vikings: What some say is the best offense ever failed to even make the Super Bowl. Such is the life of the Vikings. They're lower than the two above because they didn't qualify for the Super Bowl, and the Falcons (who beat the Vikings) actually had a damn good team in '98 (14-2).

2. 1996 Broncos: This Broncos squad was arguably their best ever (in my opinion better than the '97 team). They won 13 straight to begin the season and rested their starters to end the year. They seemed to be on a collision course to meet Green Bay in the Super Bowl (who also went 13-3). But they lay a massive egg against 2nd year Jacksonville at home. If not for '97 and '98, this game may have been the defining moment in Elway's career.

3. 2011 Packers: The defending champs ran up to a 15-1 record, but didn't even win a playoff game. This season gets to easily forgotten.

4. 2010 Patriots: Because they didn't win a playoff game this team is forgotten, but the Patriots went 14-2 behind league MVP Tom Brady. They defeated both Super Bowl participants (Steelers and Packers) and sheered every team they faced, including a 45-3 stomping of the Jets. Ironically, it was the Jets who ended the Pats season in January.

5. 1999 Jaguars: 14-2, defeated the Dolphins in historic fashion in the Divisional, only to lose to their nemesis in the AFC Championship. The Titans went 3-0 against the Jags; everyone else went 0-15.

6. 1990 49ers: They may have lost to a great Giants team, but this 49ers team was one of the best teams ever. Montana, Rice and Craig were all still in their prime and ran through the NFC with a 14-2 record. But the Giants knocked Montana out of the game, and a late fumble let the Giants milk the clock and score the game winning field goal. I'm not sure there's a 49er fan who doesn't know about this game.

7. 1995 Chiefs: The best of the Schottenheimer Chiefs teams (IMO), the Chiefs had one of the leagues best defenses and the league's best record at 13-3 to go into the post season. But like all Schottenheimer teams, they struggled in the playoffs and against the Harbaugh-led Colts, they lost 10-7.

8. 2006 Chargers: Schottenheimer makes the list again, this time with another AFC West team. The Chargers went 14-2 with a balanced offense and entering the post season were heavy favorites to win it all. But then Tom Brady happened, and he surgically decapitated the Chargers in the Divisional playoff. The game is famous for Brady throwing a pick late in the 4th quarter, only for San Diego to fumble it back to New England to seal the win.

9.1980 Browns: Arguably the best Browns team ever, the cardiac kids never seemed to quit in a game. The nabbed the #1 seed behind MVP Brian Sipe and seemed destined for the big dance. But a questionable call to go for it rather than tie the game late in the 4th quarter in the Divisional round against Oakland backfired, and the Browns were sent home while Oakland eventually won it all.

10. 1981 Chargers: "Air Coryell", led by Dan Fouts, was one of the better offenses in league history. They routinely dismantled teams and did so en route to the AFC Championship game. But they ran into the only team able to stop them - the Bengals. The Bengals had already defeated the Chargers earlier in San Diego, and the rematch would be no different, an easy victory for Cincinnati.

 

Great summary. IMO this list is nearly spot on. The few modifications I'd make: Replace the 2011 Pats with the 2005 Colts, bump the 1990 49ers up to #2 and throw the 2012 Broncos somewhere into the mix.

 

And yes, the Steve Bono-led Chiefs were never a threat, even in the weaker AFC. Would've been dismantled by Dallas had they even made the Super Bowl.

[Unocal]

2 hours ago, DnBronc said:

 

The 1995 Chiefs were an 8-8 team in disguise. It was no surprise to me that the Colts beat them in the divisional round.

2 hours ago, DnBronc said:

The 1995 Chiefs only played four games against teams that would finish with a winning record (SD twice, Dallas, Miami), and they went 2-2 in those games. And, if Charger LB Lewis Bush didn't drop an INT in OT in Chief territory (in their Week 6 MNF game at KC), they probably end up 1-3. 

 

Everything broke right for them that year, from the McNair fumble in the Houston game to the Bush INT drop to Bono's sneak against the Cardinals. At the end of the day, though, I knew that they were a pretender, and they proved it. 

 

Tell us how you really feel.

 

And let's be real- Indy was a fluke that basically was a Jim Harbaugh career year from being just another team. They're 7-9 team if not for TWO 20 point comebacks against the Jets/Dolphins.

 

You really were surprised that a Colts team that was basically a few miracle comebacks from being another also-ran?

[JWhiz96]

8 hours ago, Cujo said:

 

Great summary. IMO this list is nearly spot on. The few modifications I'd make: Replace the 2011 Pats with the 2005 Colts, bump the 1990 49ers up to #2 and throw the 2012 Broncos somewhere into the mix.

 

And yes, the Steve Bono-led Chiefs were never a threat, even in the weaker AFC. Would've been dismantled by Dallas had they even made the Super Bowl.

I didn't have the 2011 Pats on the list; I think you might be talking about the 2011 Packers. I did ponder whether or not to add the '05 Colts, that team was loaded and arguably the best Colts team of the Peyton era. Of course we all know the outcome (a particularly happy ending for me).

 

I had the '12 Broncos as an honorable mention.