Which 2018 NFL teams have the best, worst, most mediocre seasons in the history of franchising



[ad_1]

The Saints of New Orleans are a special football team. At 10-1, Sean Payton's players are tied with the Rams for the best football record. Drew Brees threw 29 touchdowns against two interceptions and scored an absurd pass of 127.3. The defense, which started slowly, has limited its opponents to a total of 38 points in the last three weeks. Marshon Lattimore & Co. has the best points differential in the league and predictions of ESPN's Football Power Rating (FPI) give the Saints a chance to win the 31.2 Super Bowl LIII %, which is better in the NFL by more than 10 percentage points.

It's the best shot of Brees that has won a Super Bowl since the 2009 Saints, who scored 13-3 before winning the Lombardi Trophy in a surprise win over the Colts. This Saints team was great. And this team could be better.

All you need this week:
Scores, highlights and more »
• Full calendar »| Full ranking »
• weekly leading statistics
• Update of the series image
• Injury tracker: who's in, out
More NFL coverage »

Is this the best version of the saints we have already seen, Brees or other? And what about discussion teams like leaders or rams? Do we see in 2018 the best teams that these franchises have ever built? And on the other hand, is it the worst team of Raiders or Cardinals we've ever seen?

I wanted to answer those questions. So I calculated the numbers for each of the league's 32 franchises, going back to the 1960 season. (Sorry, George Halas.) To estimate the level of play of a team, I used its point differential , which better predicts a record of wins-losses than the record of wins-losses. That does not include the performance of the playoffs, but if you are looking for a list of teams that have done well in the playoffs, it's not hard to find elsewhere.

To take into account the different lengths of the seasons, including the unfinished 2018 campaign, I used the points differential per game instead of the cumulative differential. Finally, to adjust the time, I standardized the numbers to get an idea of ​​the dominance (or lamentable) of each team in relation to the competition in its league times. For more information on this, check out this article on standardized score and the NFL from 2014.

I will start with teams whose 2018 seasons rank among the best in the history of franchises and among those that could be described as the most embarrassing:

Go to a team:


Current season: 10-1 (Best of the 52 seasons in the history of the franchise)
Worst season: 1980 (1-15)

The Saints outclass the teams by an average of 13.9 points per game, making it the best in franchise history, and this is only the second time they have surpassed 11 points per game. To put that in context, the NFL's second highest point differential is up to the Chiefs, who beat their opponents by 11 points per game.

This is also the best offense in the history of the franchise, even taking into account the increase in scores around the NFL. The Saints are ranked 24th in standard points per game since 1960, averaging 37.2 points per game. The 2013 Broncos are the only team to have exceeded this gross total. They scored 37.9 points per game during a season in which the scores were slightly lower.

Current season: 8-3 (third best of the 17 seasons in the history of the franchise)
Better season: 2011 (10-6)
Worst season: 2005 (2-14)

This is less impressive than it seems, given that the Texans have only been present for 17 seasons, but Houston has outperformed his opponent by more than 10 points per game on average in the last five games. Texans had a positive point differential only five times in franchise history before 2018; The 2011 season was their first trip to the playoffs and, although Arian Foster & Co. underperformed their expectations at Pythagoras that year, they improved to 12-4 with a lower points differential before that everything does not collapse in 2013.

Current season: 9-2 (fourth best of 59 seasons in franchise history since 1960)
Better season: 1969 (11-3)
Worst season: 2012 (2-14)

Of course, 1969 was the first and last time the Chiefs won a Super Bowl. This team still ranks among the top six in the history of the defense and defense franchise, which is credited to the work of legendary coach Hank Stram. You will not be surprised to learn that it is the best offense in the entire history of the franchise, slightly ahead of the Chiefs team in 2003 with the priest. Holmes scoring 27 touchdowns. The problem, of course, is that the defense ranked 50th out of 59 Chiefs' teams over the period.

Current season: 8-3 (fifth best of 59 seasons in franchise history since 1960)
Better season: 1985 (15-1)
Worst season: 1997 (4-12)

No, as good as this Bears defense is, it does not match the Monsters of the Midway. What is lost in remembering the 1985 Bears is the quality of their attack. Walter Payton, Jim McMahon and the rest of the "85 Bears", backed by seven special touchdowns and special teams, finished second in scoring and Chicago's best offensive ranking since 1960. This team ranks sixth in the history of modern franchise in attack and eighth in defense. , a testimony to the absolute dominance of the defenses at Soldier Field over the decades.

Current season: 10-1 (seventh best of 59 seasons in franchise history since 1960)
Better season: 1999 (13-3)
Worst season: 2009 (1-15)

The best show on the grass The rams were excellent on both sides of the ball; The 2001 Rams were actually slightly better in offense, but the 1999 defense finished fourth by scoring the defense in Super Bowl XXXIV. Lovie Smith brought the Rams back to seventh place in 2001 in scoring, but this team was outpaced by the Patriots. The 2017-2018 Rams score more often than the GSOT Rams, but after counting for the league scoring level, the Rams 2018 ranks fifth in the history of the attacking franchise. The 35th ranked defense does not help them climb the charts; Aqib Talib will need a massive boost in the last five weeks to get closer to the first three iterations.

Current season: 6-5 (eighth best of 23 seasons in the history of the franchise)
Better season: 2006 (13-3)
Worst season: 2007 (5-11)

This is a sample of 23 seasons, as the Ravens do not have to claim the story of the Browns franchise. With record breaking records, this year's Ravens rank as the third best defense in franchise history while awarding 18 points per game. They are behind the legendary defense of the 2000 Ravens, who allowed 10.3 points per game in a much more conservative time. The 2006 team is the best defense in franchise history. They lost to the Colts in a miserable 15-6 defeat in the playoffs in which the defense held Peyton Manning and a dominant Colts offense at 261 yards, but Indy recovered the five fumbles and forced four Baltimore.

ESPN's football power rating predicts Philip Rivers and the Chargers are 11-5, but the Chiefs have the advantage in West Africa. Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Current season: 8-3 (eighth best of 59 seasons in franchise history since 1960)
Better season: 1979 (12-4)
Worst season: 1997 (4-12)

When you think of shippers, the first name that comes to my mind is Philip Rivers. The second and third are probably Keenan Allen and Melvin Gordon in a certain order. You will eventually join Casey Hayward, but that is his defense that led the Chargers this season. Although their turnover rate has fallen back to average, the 2018 Chargers constitute the third best defense in the franchise's history. The best attack Rivers has prepared requires a return to his first season as a full-time starter in 2006, when the Chargers scored 14-2 before defeating the Patriots in Marlon McCree's breakout game.

Current season: 6-5 (10 of the 24 best seasons in franchise history)
Better season: 2015 (15-1)
Worst season: 2010 (2-14)

Quietly, this Panthers defense has not been impressive in 2018. Carolina ranks 20th in defense and 26th in DVOA. While the 2015 season is over with disappointment, the Panthers can admire a team that combines both the best offense and the fourth best defense of the franchise's brief history.

Current season: 6-5 (13 Best of 43 Seasons in the History of the Franchise)
Better season: 2013 (13-3)
Worst season: 1992 (2-14)

Barnwell and his friends discuss sports – usually.
Podcast:
Sheil Kapadia and Kevin Seifert »
More: Contenders with Mike Sando »
Archive: Every podcast of Barnwell »

Four of the best five seasons in Seahawk history took place in 2012-15, coinciding with the first four seasons of Russell Wilson's career. Head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider signed a rookie contract with Wilson and an incredible series of unimaginable choices on the defensive side of the ball, but only for the dominant ruling classes who gave way to disappointment. The 2005 Seahawks were the only team that did not belong to the Legion of Boom and snuck into the top 28 touchdowns of Sham Alexander, the league's most valuable player, for the Super Bowl.

Current season: 3-8 (15 of the 24 best seasons in franchise history)
Better season: 1999 (14-2)
Worst season: 2013 (4-12)

The 2017 Jaguar ranks just behind the 1999 pack, but it may just be an eternity considering the loss of Doug Marrone's team this season. If you're looking for a bright spot, consider that the 2018 Jags are the second best team in the seemingly completed era of Blake Bortles by the standard points differential. The Jags have the points differential of a team of 4.2 wins. They were hoping to be improved in 2019. Once again, they planned to be better in 2018 as well.

Current season: 7-3-1 (20th of 59 seasons of the franchise since 1960)
Better season: 1978 (14-2)
Worst season: 1965 (2-12)

Unsurprisingly, the best four seasons in the history of the Steelers are between 1975 and 1979. The only missing season of the pack is that of 1977, when the Steelers were 9-5. A year later, the 1978 Steelers went 14-2 and beat their opponents by 10.1 points per game in a league with two superteams (Cowboys and Steelers) and a lot of flotsam. The best Steelers team not owned by Chuck Noll since 1960 is actually the Mike Tomlin era, while the 2010 Steelers were 12-4 and were leading the defenseman rankings. They eventually qualified for the Super Bowl before giving in to the Packers, who were in the middle of what would become a series of 19 victories.

to play

3:04

Matthew Berry discusses the tight final position and how Eric Ebron of the Colts is a fantastic elite player that fantasy managers should look for.

Current season: 6-5 (20th of 59 seasons of the franchise since 1960)
Better season: 1964 (12-2)
Worst season: 1981 (2-14)

The best and worst seasons for the Colts go back to their stay in Baltimore; they racked up a 9-31-1 record during their last three years in Maryland before settling in Indianapolis for the 1984 season. If we limit things to the time of the organization in Indy, its Best season is that of 2004, which is the Peyton Manning Offshore Offshore Mark and a rare campaign with three 1,000-yard receivers to Marvin Harrison, Brandon Stokley and Reggie Wayne. . The nadir was in 1991, when a 1-15 season hinted that second-year quarterback Jeff George would not be a long-term fix for the Colts.

Current season: 4-7 (21st of the 43 seasons of the history of the franchise)
Better season: 2002 (12-4)
Worst season: 1986 (2-14)

It's a little upset that the first 0-14 season of 1976 is not the worst season in the Bucs' history, but do not let two tight victories fool you: they were both awful. Anecdotally, the 1986 team has good reason to make matters worse as its starting quarterback for part of the season was future Hall of Fame member Steve Young. The Buccaneers of 1976 and 1986 rank each of the 11 worst teams since 1960; The Colts, who had three teams from the last 11 teams between 1978 and 1982, were the only ones to take this step.

Current season: 8-3 (23rd of the 59 seasons of the franchise since 1960)
Better season: 2007 (16-0)
Worst season: 1990 (1-15)

The Buccaneers are an example of a team with a brutal story where another bad season manages to fall somewhere in the middle. The patriots are in the opposite boat; after almost two decades of domination under Tom Brady, this is just another great season. (On the other hand, if the Brady era had not existed before 2018, the Pats would be up to the eighth best point differential in franchise history.) The 2007 Patriots rank as the best team since 1960 according to this criterion, surpassing their opponents by 19.7 points per game. On the other hand, this year's Patriots beat the teams by 5.3 points per game and have the points differential, essentially, of a 7-4 team. What is ordinary for patriots would be a parade for most organizations.

Current season: 6-4-1 (26th of the 58 seasons of the history of the franchise)
Better season: 1998 (15-1)
Worst season: 1984 (3-13)

The 1998 team ranks better than any of the four Super Bowl losing Vikings from 1969 to 1976 under Bud Grant. Unlike these teams, however, the Vikings did not have the chance to win the NFC championship game in 1998, taking a 27-17 lead in the fourth quarter and losing 30-27 in a game where striker Gary Anderson, who had scored 35 goals for the 35 goals on the field in the regular season – missed a 38-yard goal that would have sealed the game just before the two-minute warning. The team, made up of Cris Carter and Randy Moss, rookie player, for a total of 29 touchdowns, has the 10th best offense since 1960 thanks to the standard score.

Current season: 4-7 (27th of the 53 seasons of the history of the franchise)
Better season: 2016 (11-5)
Worst season: 1987 (3-12)

In fantasy fantasy sports, Matthew Berry, senior ESPN fantasy analyst, is looking to make fantastic football players smarter and help them win their leagues. Watch on ESPN +

The offense committed by the Falcons from 2016 slightly exceeds the unity of the Vikings from 1998; It was so good, in fact, that Matt Ryan & Co. was found in the best Falcons team in the history of the franchise, despite the fact that the defense did not make it so. finished only 35th out of 53 editions. The 1998 Dirty Bird team that beat the Vikings in the aforementioned Gary Anderson game and went to the Super Bowl ranks fourth in offense and defense, which is good for the second best Falcons team in the world. 'history.

Current season: 6-5 (32nd of the 59 seasons of the franchise since 1960)
Better season: 1983 (14-2)
Worst season: 1961 (1-12-1)

Washington beat 2-21-3 in two seasons between 1960 and 1961 as part of a 12-year run without a winning record. It took the intervention of Vince Lombardi to push the team to more than .500. In 1982, Washington dominated the abbreviated season with a slightly above average offense and the best defense in franchise history, en route to their first Super Bowl victory. The following season, Joe Gibbs' team turned the corner and combined the best offense in franchise history with a 25th-ranked defense, but failed to stand out from the Super Bowl XVIII Raiders.

Current season: 6-5 (33rd of the 59 seasons of the franchise since 1960)
Better season: 1978 (12-4)
Worst season: 1960 (0-11-1)

If you find it surprising that Hue Jackson retains his position after a season of 0 to 16, consider the guy who scored 0-11 to 1 in 1960 with the Cowboys was Tom Landry. Before winning 250 games and coaching another 28 seasons with Dallas before being fired by Jerry Jones. Jones won the gold medal with Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer won the Super Bowl with the Johnson players, but the Cowboys' 14 best seasons were held between 1966 and 1995. seems Jason Garrett's reign has been going on for 23 years.

to play

1:46

Matthew Berry breaks his top adds the waiver lead to QB, RB and WR for the 13th week.

Current season: 5-6 (33rd of the 59 seasons of the franchise since 1960)
Better season: 1997 (12-4)
Worst season: 1964 (2-11-1)

The consecutive Super Bowl champions in 1997 and 1998 were behind one or two goals on the list until the 2013 Broncos came out on top. The 1997 team was slightly better at both attack and defense, with Terrell Davis taking on a greater offensive workload during his 2,008-yard season in 1998. The 2015 team that won the Super Bowl Bowl placed 19th in the history of the franchise, proof of its steady success and the fine chance of the post-season.

Current season: 5-6 (33rd of the 59 seasons of the franchise since 1960)
Better season: 1961 (10-3-1)
Worst season: 1982 (1-8)

There are all kinds of quirks here; these totals include the franchise years as Houston Oilers and their worst season was the 1982 aborted strike campaign. The worst season of the season was a 1-13 team of the Oilers in 1973, while the 2014 Titans of 2-14 are the worst of the Titan teams of the Nashville era. As the 1999 Tennessee team made their way to the Super Bowl, the Titan's best team was actually the 2000 squad, who scored 13-3 before losing to the Ravens in a playoff match in which Trent Dilfer scored 5 assists in 16 assists for 117 yards. and the Ravens returned a blocked goal and interception for a touchdown to seal a 24-10 win. Current Titans rank exactly one place below the 2017 team.

Current season: 4-6-1 (35 best of 56 seasons in franchise history since 1960)
Better season: 1987 (10-5)
Worst season: 1990 (3-13)

It surprises me too, but Hue Jackson's 0-16-year-old masterpiece is simply the fifth worst season for the organization since 1960. The 2016 season was actually slightly worse. The Browns can not even lose their foot! You will notice that the Browns have gone up and down the basement during the four seasons, which is a product of Art Modell forcing coach Marty Schottenheimer to leave his role. The 1990 Browns inspired Modell to hire Bill Belichick, aged 36 to 44, to win a five-year playoff game in Cleveland.

Current season: 4-6-1 (37th best of 59 seasons in franchise history since 1960)
Better season: 1996 (13-3)
Worst season: 1986 (4-12-1)

The current Packers team is brutally average, ranking 17th in attack and 16th in defense. The 2011 15-1 Packers rank as the best team of the era Mike McCarthy and the third best team in the history of the modern franchise, outmatched only by the 1996 Super Bowl champions and champions defensive of the 1962 NFL, was the best team of Vince Lombardi. The 62-year-old Packers were 13-1, outshot their opponents by more than 19 points per game and still rank as Green Bay's best defense over the past 59 years.

The FPI gives Carson Wentz and the Eagles a chance to qualify for the playoffs this year. AP Photo / Michael Perez

Current season: 5-6 (38th of the 59 seasons of the franchise since 1960)
Better season: 2002 (12-4)
Worst season: 1972 (2-11-1)

The long-awaited Super Bowl winners in 2017 rank third in the history of the modern Eagles, in part because Nick Foles has struggled in the last three games of the regular season. The beloved Dick Vermeil Eagles in 1980 are not up to what could have been the best team of the Andy Reid era in Philadelphia. Reid's other teams continued their playoff run, but the 2002 Eagles were among the top four offensives and defensives before falling to the eventual Super Bowl Buccaneers champion in the NFC championship game.

Current season: 5-6 (42nd best of 51 seasons in the history of the franchise)
Better season: 1988 (12-4)
Worst season: 2002 (2-14)

One of the most unlikely players of all time entered in the Super Bowl, Bengals' best franchise history team is slender for a 4-11 season and its Was ranked 20th in points per game in 1987. The 1988 Bengals led the league in scoring and posted the best offense in franchise history before falling behind the 49ers as six-point underdogs at Super Bowl XXIII. The Bengals of 2002, meanwhile, were hard enough to cause the arrival of Carson Palmer and Marvin Lewis. The latter should apparently have a season even worse than 2-14 to lose his job.

Current season: 3-8 (42nd Best of 59 Seasons in the History of the franchise since 1960)
Best season: 1982 (6-3)
Worst season: 1996 (1-15)

The franchise's best season, at least in numbers, is the shortened Jets season from 1982. The best full season for the Jets was their 12-4 campaign in 1998, two years after the sad season of 1996 which marked the absolute bottom for the franchise. This 1-15 campaign was supposed to deliver the Peyton Manning Jets, but when Manning decided to stay in Tennessee, the Jets instead chose to trade. Two years later, the Jets qualified for the conference title with Bill Parcells as coach, Bill Belichick as defensive coordinator and Keyshawn Johnson catching Vinny Testaverde passes.

Current season: 4-7 (44th best of 59 seasons in franchise history since 1960)
Better season: 1970 (10-4)
Worst season: 2008 (0-16)

The 2009 Lions actually scored slightly lower than the 2008 no-win version of DVOA, but we do not use it here. Rod Marinelli's 0-16 age group is the eighth worst team since 1960 and no team has managed to record a less impressive season in the decade that followed. It was not (mainly) his fault, but Jon Kitna managed to figure for the 2002 Bengals and the 2008 Lions.

2 related

Current season: 3-8 (45th Best of 59 Seasons in the History of the franchise since 1960)
Better season: 1986 (14-2)
Worst season: 1966 (1-12-1)

It's hard to argue with the success of the 1986 Giants, who lost in the first football game of the season Monday night against the Cowboys, before winning 17 wins in 18 games. These figures do not include post-season performances, but these Giants may have had the most impressive series in the history of modern leagues. They became the first and only team in the league history to have lost 49 points on the 49ers in 49-3, cleared Washington 17-0, then beat the Broncos in a 39-20 win. at the Super Bowl. The Giants of 1993 were awarded a better defense, but the 49ers and Ricky Watters, who conceded five touchdowns, were cleared by 44-3.

Current season: 2-9 (47th Best of 59 Seasons in the History of the Franchise)
Better season: 1994 (13-3)
Worst season: 2004 (2-14)

The 49ers are often very good or very bad, so they are perfect for this type of backtracking. The 1994 team was rewarded with the best offensive in franchise history and the third best overall offense since 1960. A healthy Steve Young averaged 8.6 yards per attempt and completed 70.3% of his passes under the command of offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan. To put this in context, Young is the only player between 1920 and 2008 to have a success rate of 70% or more on 400 passes. Drew Brees and Sam Bradford are the only ones to do this for a full season.

Current season: 5-6 (47th of the 53 seasons of the history of the franchise)
Better season: 1984 (14-2)
Worst season: 2007 (1-15)

You may be surprised that the only undefeated campaign in the history of the NFL is not considered the most beautiful season in the history of the Dolphins, but it should be recalled that Larry Csonka & Co. Were considered favorites at one point of the Super Bowl. It was undoubtedly an excellent team and one of the few in the history of the NFL to lead the league both in attack and defense, but they were not as dominant on both sides of the ball as the Dolphins of 1984 in the confrontation of Dan Marino. These dolphins ranked 21st in the history of the franchise in defense, but the 1983 edition posted the best defense of Miami's history. If they had just combined the two, the 1972 Dolphins could have had company.

to play

1:22

Matthew Berry explains why the creation of the Kenyan Drake is a dart throwing every week.

Current season: 4-7 (54th best of 59 seasons in franchise history since 1960)
Better season: 1990 (13-3)
Worst season: 1971 (1-13)

You may think that the four consecutive Super Bowl teams from 1990 to 1993 rank at the top of the billing rankings, and even though the 1990 bills turn out to be the best in franchise history, this Is not a thorough cleaning. The 1964 Bills won 12-2 by winning the AFL championship. More recently, the 2004 bills resulted in a 111-point gap, suggesting that they were closer to an 11-5 team. These Bills were to beat a Steelers team having nothing to play in the 17th week to qualify for the playoffs and failed, a run of six straight wins for the Bills having failed to push them in the month of January.

Current season: 2-9 (57th best of 59 seasons in franchise history since 1960)
Better season: 2015 (13-3)
Worst season: 2003 (4-12)

Things were quickly spoiled for the cardinals, who were at the top of their franchise three years ago. Injuries and below average draws have taken their toll, however, and the current Cardinals rank as the third worst team in franchise history with five games to come. I've already mentioned the teams that led the league both in attack and in defense, but the 2003 Cardinals did the opposite and ranked last in both categories.

Current season: 2-9 (58th Best of 59 Seasons in the History of the franchise since 1960)
Better season: 1967 (13-1)
Worst season: 2014 (3-13)

Yes, Raiders fans: you do not look at the worst team in the history of your franchise. The bad news is that you are approaching it. This year's Raiders are a few percentage points off the 2014 low water mark, which was The first season of Derek Carr with the team. The two defenses are essentially the same. The five worst Raiders teams have all arrived since the 2006 season, and their top 20 do not include a single Raiders team from the past 15 years.

[ad_2]

Source link