Ranking Our Superbowl Victims....

During the big game, I noticed the similarities between Seattle and St Louis. They were both going for a second win, and were seemingly one step away from a dynasty. They both had strong defences, and a good running back. I got wondering who was the better team between the two?

Then I got thinking of how we only ever beat Carolina and Philly by three points, so they were all razor tight games. So where do all these teams rank? Here is what I came up with.

1) Rams
2)Seattle
3)Carolina
4) Philly

So what do you lot think?

Switch Carolina and Philly.

Carolina was a shock that year, where as Philly was the #1 seed in the NFC that year and made the NFC championship 3 years in a row.

AzorianPats said:

Switch Carolina and Philly.

Carolina was a shock that year, where as Philly was the #1 seed in the NFC that year and made the NFC championship 3 years in a row.

Click to expand...

I agree. The Delhomme Panthers were a fluke. Philly was an established NFC power and had been at or near the top of the NFC 3 years running.

I can't see how anyone could put the Panthers ahead of the Eagles on that list. Carolina merely caught an Eli Manning like Giants 4 week wave and rode it in the winter of 2003-2004.

Philly was no worse than the second best team on that list. People don't understand how good that team was, they were one of the 5 best teams - champions or no - from 2000-2009. It is a testament to the 2004 squad that they made a fantastic Philly team look mediocre.

Carolina was last. That I am sure about. They had talent and always won close games but I don't put them at the same level with the others.

That Philly team was no joke. If McNabb had 1/2 a brain and didn't lollygag the entire 4th qtr and not barf on the field they had a real chance in beating the Pats. Very good defense.

I guess I'd put the Rams ahead of SEA. Still shake my head how we won that game. Time has proven that the 01 Pats were not a fluke (Brady, Bru, Vrabes, Sey, Law, Light, BB, etc) but that Rams team was something. I think if Vermeil was coach and not Martz they win that game.

Put me in the basket rating the teams as follows:

1) St. Louis
2) Seattle

3) Philadelphia










4) Carolina

I think Seattle is better than St. Louis. Both 1-1 in SBs but Seattle did it in a quicker span.

Then the Eagles. The Panthers game was more fun but they ibviously never made it back and the Eagles were at least in the NFC title game several times.

1 Seahawks
2 Rams
3 Eagles
4 Panthers

Philly looked crappy in the game, but they were an outstanding team overall. Carolina was an above average team that made a great playoff run. You can certainly knock Reid and McNabb for blowing it in big games, but they did make it to 5 conference championships in 8 seasons.

Hard to rank Seattle and St Louis. They are definitely 1 and 2, just not sure who goes where. Seattle had a better defense but the Rams were no joke, while St Louis had a much better/more consistent offense but Seattle can kill you with big plays.

Carolina was easily the worst. Ran through a horrible NFC South. Had to go to double overtime in the division round to beat the Rams. Then they beat a decent Eagles team that lucked into the NFCCG by converting a 4th and 26 against the Packers the week before to win the game (they would have lost if they didn't convert).

Rob0729 said:

Carolina was easily the worst. Ran through a horrible NFC South. Had to go to double overtime in the division round to beat the Rams. Then they beat a decent Eagles team that lucked into the NFCCG by converting a 4th and 26 against the Packers the week before to win the game (they would have lost if they didn't convert).

Click to expand...

The funny thing is, they only got about 25 yards on that play but the ref ran over and made sure it was spotted for a first. If I were a Packer fan, that play would still drive me nuts.

#1 Seattle - I almost wanted to do 1A & 1B but to me Seattle is the best team the Pats beat in a SB and one of the best teams of the salary cap era. They dominate on D and are scrappy on O. Their O is overlooked at times but when they need to they usually find ways to generate points. They were a top 10 O in PPG this year remember. Lynch truly is beast mode and their WRs though not super talented are fairly savy particularly Baldwin. Wilson is getting a lot of crap but he is usually pretty good. Honestly he played well this game and didn't really make a mistake. That Int is no more Wilson's fault than that Wager int on Brady was his fault. Just a good play.

#2 St. Louis - A lot of people remember the greatest show on turf but forget their D was pretty darn good. 7th in PPG if I recall. It took a pick 6 to beat them cause their D shut down our O so well.

#3 Eagles - A team that does a lot of things well but not truly elite. They are solid and underrated. Truly a SB caliber team in other years but the 2004 Pats were just a horse that year. Still arguably the best salary cap era team.

#4 Panthers - A lot of people are not giving them their due cause of lack of talent but they are scrappy. Not as talented as other teams but that had more heart than any team on this list. They played really good D and it took Brady having an amazing 4th quarter to win. This team (from a mental drive never give up come back and punch you in the mouth standpoint) reminds me the most of this 2014 Pats team.

Just for fun let me shortly rank every Pats SB opponent

#1 85 Bears (duh)
#2 14 Seahawks
#3 96 Packers (#1 O, #1 D #1 (IMO) STs but against a weak NFC)
#4 01 Rams
#5 07 Giants (when healthy that pass rush was deadly and the rest of the team was scrappy)
#6 04 Eagles
#7 03 Panther
#8 11 Giants (should have won this game for sure).

I don't agree with the Panther bashing. They may not have done much before or after, but at that moment they were a hell of a team, a-la the '07 Giants. Great front 4 and overall D, QB on fire, great RB's, 2 significant WR threats. I think they were a tougher team than this year's Seahawks. I'd go:

Rams
Panthers
Seahawks
Eagles (who I felt were never a threat to win that game)

The 2015 Giants will rank #1.

40yrpatsfan said:

I don't agree with the Panther bashing. They may not have done much before or after, but at that moment they were a hell of a team, a-la the '07 Giants. Great front 4 and overall D, QB on fire, great RB's, 2 significant WR threats. I think they were a tougher team than this year's Seahawks. I'd go:

Rams
Panthers
Seahawks
Eagles (who I felt were never a threat to win that game)

Click to expand...

The Eagles were never a threat because the Pats were so damn good. But they would have trounced the the 2003 Panthers who were the worst of the four by a country mile.

Seahawks
Rams
Eagles (though with a healthy TO, they are #2)
Panthers

However, if we are talking about cleanest organization who was most cleared of transgressions because of their misunderstood ethics, the Panthers are easily the best team of all-time.

robertweathers said:

That Philly team was no joke. If McNabb had 1/2 a brain and didn't lollygag the entire 4th qtr and not barf on the field they had a real chance in beating the Pats.

Click to expand...

People have been killing Carroll for a week and a half now, but that was arguably the most bizarre playcalling in NFL history.

Oswlek said:

Philly was no worse than the second best team on that list. People don't understand how good that team was, they were one of the 5 best teams - champions or no - from 2000-2009. It is a testament to the 2004 squad that they made a fantastic Philly team look mediocre.

Click to expand...

I think that Philly team was very good too but id have trouble putting them over Seattle or St. Louis. My bigger question is where do the two Giants teams rank?

meatface said:

I think that Philly team was very good too but id have trouble putting them over Seattle or St. Louis. My bigger question is where do the two Giants teams rank?

Click to expand...

I hear you, but I think Philly would have beaten Seattle. The 'Hawks weren't nearly as dominant down the stretch as people made them out to be and they only played one good game in the playoffs - the SB. Green Bay should have taken them out with ease, and they aren't anywhere near the team Philly was in 2004.

Ranking by Head Coach:
**** Vermeil
Andy Reid
Pete Carroll
John (Super Bowl Kiss of Death) Fox

Ranking by Quarterback
Curt Warner
Donovan McNabb
Russell Wilson
Jake Delhomme

Ranking by Biggest Media-whore Douchebag
Terrell Owens - Eagles
Marshall Faulk - Rams
Richard Sherman - Seahawks
TBD - Panthers (they didn't really have a player that you love to hate.)

Ranking by Players Who Would Have Been Good Patriots
Steve Smith or Julius Peppers - Panthers
Brian Westbrook or Jeremiah Trotter - Eagles
Torry Holt or Isaac Bruce - Rams
Kam Chancellor or Russell Wilson (as Brady's Backup) - Seahawks