The quest to be the GOAT team

[RecoveringCowboy]

I'm talking about SB wins and runs. SB wins is simple - another SB victory will have the Patriots in a tie for 2nd place, one shy of 6 SBs. Runs, dynasties, team of the decade is murkier.

• 1950's - To go from AAFL to NFL champion was quite a feat for the Cleveland Browns. They would win 4 NFL championships 1950-1964, but lost their way after Paul Brown. Never been in a SB. Their national fan base long gone.
• 1960's - Packers won 5 titles, including the 1st 2 SBs. Overall, they have won the most NFL championships at 13. Of course there are twice as many teams today than in the 60's. 2nd biggest fan base? 2nd best winnning percentage of any team and total wins.
• 1970's - Steelers won 4 SBs, with a record 6 to the present. Best (?) winning percentage since the modern era (1970.) Lots of HoF players from the 70's, but how much did steroids help? But only three coaches since 1969 - a very stable team.
• 1980's - 49ers had the winningest decade in history, including 4 of their 5 SB victories. Took the passing game to another level. Looked like Jim Harbaugh would bring them back, but maybe the worst team in the NFL now.
• 1990's - Only the Patriots have also won 3 SBs in 4 years. Cowboys' dynasty cut short by the football divorce of Jimmy Johnson and Jerry Jones. Maybe the only team with two really good runs if you include the 2 SBs during the Landry era. But with one of the poorest post-season records in the past 21 years, why do they have the biggest fan base?
• 2000's - As noted, the Patriots would win 3 SBs in 4 years, but do it with salary cap constraints. Moving into the present decade, they would narrowly lose two SBs, win a 4th and not done yet.

Teams that have not dominated a decade, but had notable success for a time would include the Colts under Unitas, the Bears in the early days, and the Raiders 1966-1986.

Rick Gosselin is the Dallas sportswriter that promotes Cowboys for the HoF - a football historian. This is his take on best run ever: Gosselin: Sorry, Cowboys fans, Patriots are the best NFL dynasty of all time | SportsDay

In choosing the GOAT team, the game changes. Artificial turf. Indoor stadiums. Passing game opened up a LOT since Johnny Unitas. Sports medicine/training. More work in the off-season - is there an off-season? The increasing complexity of the game.

You can say it's hard to compare past teams because of all the changes just mentioned, but two I'll add make a case for the Patriots having the best run of all time: salary cap management, and competing with 32 teams. Again, this run is not over.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Let's see who wins Super Bowl LI first. If Brady and Belichick get ring #5, the title is their's for the taking.

 

[TB_Helmet]

I like how people have always been able to make a 'team of the decade' assignment similar to what you did. It's been pretty cut and dry each decade. We obviously have to see how it plays out, but it would be incredible if we could look back and say:

50's: Browns
60's: Packers
70's: Steelers
80's: 49ers
90's: Cowboys
00's: Patriots
10's: Patriots

If the Patriots win next week then they take the lead in that assignment, since no other team has won two, and they've been the most consistently dominant team since 2010.