"Top Ten NFL Teams" on NFLN... spoiler...

[oldrover]

Undefeated Dolphins...



...rank lower than 2007 Patriots.

 

[lancerman]

That shouldn't shock anyone. No offense, but I think everyone recognizes the 1972 Dolphins as a strong team against a weak schedule with some luck. Most people on those Dolphins teams don't even think the 72 team was better than the 73 team.

Meanwhile the 07 Patriots are unquestionably the best team to not win the Super Bowl. Only teams I'd realistically give the nod to over that team are the 85 Bears and the 89 Niner's. Also only team not to win the Super Bowl on this list.

Glad the 04 team got some love. That was the most complete team of the salary cap era..

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Somewhere Don Shula just crapped himself.............

 

[RobertWeathers]

That shouldn't shock anyone. No offense, but I think everyone recognizes the 1972 Dolphins as a strong team against a weak schedule with some luck. Most people on those Dolphins teams don't even think the 72 team was better than the 73 team.

Meanwhile the 07 Patriots are unquestionably the best team to not win the Super Bowl. Only teams I'd realistically give the nod to over that team are the 85 Bears and the 89 Niner's. Also only team not to win the Super Bowl on this list.

Glad the 04 team got some love. That was the most complete team of the salary cap era..

Even Shula said the 73 Fish were better

 

[lancerman]

Even Shula said the 73 Fish were better

They were. The 72 Dolphins had a terrible schedule

Chiefs 8-6
Oilers 1-13
Vikings 7-7
Jets 7-7
Chargers 4-9-1
Bills 4-9-1
Colts 5-9
Bills 4-9-1
Patriots 3-11 (god bless them)
Jets 7-7
Cardinals 4-9-1
Patriots 3-11
Giants 8-6
Colts 5-9

Two teams over .500 by a single game and everyone else was either .500 or lower.

The Patriots alone played ALL the division winners in the AFC.

Chargers 11-5
Colts 13-3
Steelers 10-6

Then played the NFC East where the division winner was the number one seed in the NFC and it produced both wildcard teams.

Cowboys 13-3
Giants 10-6
Redskins 9-7

So we played 6 playoff teams. 5 of which had double digit wins. The 72 Dolphins didn't play a team with double digit wins until they got into the playoffs. The 72 Dolphins arguably weren't even a top 3 team of the 70's. In fact they definitley weren't. There were a lot of great Cowboys and Steelers teams.

 

[PYPER]

They were. The 72 Dolphins had a terrible schedule

Chiefs 8-6
Oilers 1-13
Vikings 7-7
Jets 7-7
Chargers 4-9-1
Bills 4-9-1
Colts 5-9
Bills 4-9-1
Patriots 3-11 (god bless them)
Jets 7-7
Cardinals 4-9-1
Patriots 3-11
Giants 8-6
Colts 5-9

Two teams over .500 by a single game and everyone else was either .500 or lower.

The Patriots alone played ALL the division winners in the AFC.

Chargers 11-5
Colts 13-3
Steelers 10-6

Then played the NFC East where the division winner was the number one seed in the NFC and it produced both wildcard teams.

Cowboys 13-3
Giants 10-6
Redskins 9-7

So we played 6 playoff teams. 5 of which had double digit wins. The 72 Dolphins didn't play a team with double digit wins until they got into the playoffs. The 72 Dolphins arguably weren't even a top 3 team of the 70's. In fact they definitley weren't. There were a lot of great Cowboys and Steelers teams.

Pats also beat a 10-6 Browns team that missed playoffs...

 

[ALP]

...damn...this thread makes me rethink my answer to the would you switch SB thread

 

[drewskie]

Had we won in 07 no question that would have universally been considered the GOAT team. As it stands, the only other team who one could put deservedly in the same breath was the 89 Niners.

 

[patfanken]

They were. The 72 Dolphins had a terrible schedule

Chiefs 8-6
Oilers 1-13
Vikings 7-7
Jets 7-7
Chargers 4-9-1
Bills 4-9-1
Colts 5-9
Bills 4-9-1
Patriots 3-11 (god bless them)
Jets 7-7
Cardinals 4-9-1
Patriots 3-11
Giants 8-6
Colts 5-9

Two teams over .500 by a single game and everyone else was either .500 or lower.

The Patriots alone played ALL the division winners in the AFC.

Chargers 11-5
Colts 13-3
Steelers 10-6

Then played the NFC East where the division winner was the number one seed in the NFC and it produced both wildcard teams.

Cowboys 13-3
Giants 10-6
Redskins 9-7

So we played 6 playoff teams. 5 of which had double digit wins. The 72 Dolphins didn't play a team with double digit wins until they got into the playoffs. The 72 Dolphins arguably weren't even a top 3 team of the 70's. In fact they definitley weren't. There were a lot of great Cowboys and Steelers teams.

I think it was the 2oo3 Pats who (if you count playoff wins) played TEN games against teams that had at LEAST 10 wins at the end of the season. THAT has to be some kind of a record. I can't imagine that has ever been matched.

 

[patfanken]

Had we won in 07 no question that would have universally been considered the GOAT team. As it stands, the only other team who one could put deservedly in the same breath was the 89 Niners.

I don't know what the NFLN said, but there is NO doubt in MY mind that the 85 Bears had the best season ever. Not only where they 15-1 in the regular season; they simply CRUSHED the best teams in the league in the playoffs, and I mean CRUSHED them (including our own Pats).

And to show how fragile success usually is in the NFL, after the 86 season, the Bears went a DECADE before they got back to the playoffs. It puts a bit of prospective to what the Pats have accomplished for closed to 2 DECADEs, went the greatest team in NFL history had a legacy of two YEARS.

 

[Tony2046]

I think it was the 2oo3 Pats who (if you count playoff wins) played TEN games against teams that had at LEAST 10 wins at the end of the season. THAT has to be some kind of a record. I can't imagine that has ever been matched.

You're right. Good Call. Ten teams with at least 10 wins..

 

[drewskie]

I don't know what the NFLN said, but there is NO doubt in MY mind that the 85 Bears had the best season ever. Not only where they 15-1 in the regular season; they simply CRUSHED the best teams in the league in the playoffs, and I mean CRUSHED them (including our own Pats).

And to show how fragile success usually is in the NFL, after the 86 season, the Bears went a DECADE before they got back to the playoffs. It puts a bit of prospective to what the Pats have accomplished for closed to 2 DECADEs, went the greatest team in NFL history had a legacy of two YEARS.

I do think the 85 Bears should've been higher on the list, and same for the 98 Broncos.

My list would have been:

1. 07 Patriots
2. 89 Niners
3. 85 Bears
4. 98 Broncos
5. 04 Patriots

 

[lancerman]

I don't know what the NFLN said, but there is NO doubt in MY mind that the 85 Bears had the best season ever. Not only where they 15-1 in the regular season; they simply CRUSHED the best teams in the league in the playoffs, and I mean CRUSHED them (including our own Pats).

And to show how fragile success usually is in the NFL, after the 86 season, the Bears went a DECADE before they got back to the playoffs. It puts a bit of prospective to what the Pats have accomplished for closed to 2 DECADEs, went the greatest team in NFL history had a legacy of two YEARS.

I actually agree. Even if the Patriots won that Super Bowl in 07, I think I'd still view them and the Bears as 1A and 1B. They were just that dominate. Of course this list NFLN put together has them at 6 which idk.

1. 49'ers 1989
2. Steelers 1978
3. Patriots 2007
4. Dolphins 1972
5. Packers 1062
6. Bears 1985 (pretty much everybody in the video disagreed with them being this low)
7. Broncos 1998
8. Patriots 2004
9. Colts 1968 (I lied, they lost the Super Bowl too)
10 Cowboys 1992

So some key notes. Basically they said because the Bears offense wasn't that great it couldn't be ranked higher. That's somewhat fair. I'd still put them top 3, but I can't argue too much against the Steelers, Patriots and the Niner's there. Those were all worthy. The Dolphins are still way too high.

Kudos to us though. Only team on the list twice and only team post 2000.

 

[supafly]

You're right. Good Call. Ten teams with at least 10 wins..

The 10 wins vs teams of 10+, #1 ranked defense in points allowed, and 11/29 TD-INT ratio are what tell me that they were the most dominant of our SB winners. That’s almost two guaranteed picks per game.

I think 2004 would be next.

 

[Tony2046]

The 10 wins vs teams of 10+, #1 ranked defense in points allowed, and 11/29 TD-INT ratio are what tell me that they were the most dominant of our SB winners. That’s almost two guaranteed picks per game.

I think 2004 would be next.

That's insane. I'm going to revisit that season.

 

[lancerman]

The 10 wins vs teams of 10+, #1 ranked defense in points allowed, and 11/29 TD-INT ratio are what tell me that they were the most dominant of our SB winners. That’s almost two guaranteed picks per game.

I think 2004 would be next.

Nah the 2004 team was better. That was the year Brady really matured into his own as not just a great player but an elite player for the entire year, best RB we've had in the Belichick era, finally had a WR corp worth something, and that defense was unreal.

Easily the most complete team of the 2000's.

And then that playoff run. The 04 Colts and 04 Steelers were teams that were legitimately so dominant that had they won the SB they are almost gauranteed to make this list and that Eagles team was the best of a great run they had in the NFC. The teams we beat to get to the Super Bowl were historically good to the point where anybody who came out of the AFC that year if they won the SB would be viewed as one of the greatest teams ever. The Colts would have been considered the greatest offense of all time. The Steelers would have been up there with anybody being one of only 3 15-1 teams to win it all. That was the most impressive playoff run any Patriots team had. 04 gets overlooked because it's the least memorable Super Bowl game we had, but top to bottom they had less weaknesses than any Patriot team.

That playoff run was our dominating dominate teams. Like the Bears dominated in their playoff run, but they weren't beating world beaters. The 2004 Patriots were making world beaters look 2nd rate.

 

[supafly]

Nah the 2004 team was better. That was the year Brady really matured into his own as not just a great player but an elite player for the entire year, best RB we've had in the Belichick era, finally had a WR corp worth something, and that defense was unreal.

Easily the most complete team of the 2000's.

And then that playoff run. The 04 Colts and 04 Steelers were teams that were legitimately so dominant that had they won the SB they are almost gauranteed to make this list and that Eagles team was the best of a great run they had in the NFC. The teams we beat to get to the Super Bowl were historically good to the point where anybody who came out of the AFC that year if they won the SB would be viewed as one of the greatest teams ever. The Colts would have been considered the greatest offense of all time. The Steelers would have been up there with anybody being one of only 3 15-1 teams to win it all. That was the most impressive playoff run any Patriots team had. 04 gets overlooked because it's the least memorable Super Bowl game we had, but top to bottom they had less weaknesses than any Patriot team.

That playoff run was our dominating dominate teams. Like the Bears dominated in their playoff run, but they weren't beating world beaters. The 2004 Patriots were making world beaters look 2nd rate.

2003 defense was better, I think, but the offense took steps forward in 2004 and may have been the more complete team.

Crazy to think that they shut down Manning’s Colts in both postseason runs, and should’ve done it again in ‘06.

 

[PF_SU]

Nah the 2004 team was better. That was the year Brady really matured into his own as not just a great player but an elite player for the entire year, best RB we've had in the Belichick era, finally had a WR corp worth something, and that defense was unreal.

Easily the most complete team of the 2000's.

And then that playoff run. The 04 Colts and 04 Steelers were teams that were legitimately so dominant that had they won the SB they are almost gauranteed to make this list and that Eagles team was the best of a great run they had in the NFC. The teams we beat to get to the Super Bowl were historically good to the point where anybody who came out of the AFC that year if they won the SB would be viewed as one of the greatest teams ever. The Colts would have been considered the greatest offense of all time. The Steelers would have been up there with anybody being one of only 3 15-1 teams to win it all. That was the most impressive playoff run any Patriots team had. 04 gets overlooked because it's the least memorable Super Bowl game we had, but top to bottom they had less weaknesses than any Patriot team.

That playoff run was our dominating dominate teams. Like the Bears dominated in their playoff run, but they weren't beating world beaters. The 2004 Patriots were making world beaters look 2nd rate.

2003 had the better D. But the 2004 was more complete with a stronger offense. And what makes the 2004 team is just the utterly dominant playoffs run. The 2003 team fought a hard battle against the Titans and in the Super Bowl went on a back-and-forth against the Panthers.

Meanwhile in 2004 they held 49 TD Manning (arguably the best season Manning's ever played) to 3 points in a 17-point win. Then they went into Pittsburgh against the 15-1 Steelers and took them apart 41-27. And in the Super Bowl the score really was a lot closer than it actually was. That game was essentially over once the Pats went up by 10 early in the 4th.

 

[Ring 6]

I think it was the 2oo3 Pats who (if you count playoff wins) played TEN games against teams that had at LEAST 10 wins at the end of the season. THAT has to be some kind of a record. I can't imagine that has ever been matched.

You are correct

 

[patriot1136]

The '72 Dolphins are before my time. However, I really wish we would take them out of the equation with these lists. Back then, the schedule was shorter and they didn't have the salary cap, etc. You kind of need a top list from before 1990 and then another list after 1990. Something like that, taking into account at least the salary cap.