Biggest Losers in NFL History

Some of the greatest football teams came up just short of achieving the ultimate goal.

Biggest Losers in NFL History

There's a thin line between winning and losing in football. While winners get all of the fame and glory — and trophies and rings — losers get nothing but a pat on the back.

Most teams that fall short of victory aren't remembered for their greatness since it’s assumed they weren’t better than any team that won a championship. An example of this is the NFL 100 Greatest Teams in which 33 of the top 34 teams won championships. We’re led to believe that every champion is better than every non-champion. That's not entirely true.

We're here to give props to those non-champions and rank the best teams who came up short. They may not be the best of the best teams of all time, but they are the best of the rest. These are the biggest losers in NFL history, aka the greatest NFL teams to never win a championship.

Note: Individual teams (like the 1968 Baltimore Colts, who lost in Super Bowl III to Joe Namath and the New York Jets) and multi-season teams (such as the early 1990s Buffalo Bills that lost in four straight Super Bowls) are eligible.

25. 2001 St. Louis Rams

Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, Ricky Proehl, Tory Holt

Record: 14-2 (.875 win percentage)

Head coach: Mike Martz

Points for: 503 (31.4/g)

Points against: 273 (17.1/g)

Notable players: Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, Aeneas Williams

Finish: Lost 20-17 to New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI

25. 2001 St. Louis Rams

Bottom line: This was the last of "The Greatest Show on Turf" Rams and the beginning of the New England Patriots dynasty.

After winning the Super Bowl in 1999, the Rams' defense fell apart the next year and finished last in the NFL. They brought in reinforcements for the 2001 season, namely future Hall of Famer Aeneas Williams, and the team posted the seventh-best defense to go along with their No. 1 scoring offense.

Most people expected St. Louis to route the upstart Patriots, who lost Drew Bledsoe midseason and had some second-year unknown player named Tom Brady at quarterback. But the Patriots’ game plan in the Super Bowl disrupted "The Greatest Show on Turf' and limited them to just 17 points as the Patriots scored 20 for their first Super Bowl victory.

24. 2005 Indianapolis Colts

Record: 14-2 (.875 win percentage)

Head coach: Tony Dungy

Points for: 439 (27.4/g)

Points against: 247 (15.4/g)

Notable players: Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney

Finish: Lost 21-18 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in divisional round

24. 2005 Indianapolis Colts

Bottom line: Imagine a team with Peyton Manning at quarterback paired with the No. 2 scoring defense. You don’t have to imagine it. That was the 2005 Colts, and they featured peak Peyton Manning, who led the league in passer rating.

The 2005 Colts started the season 13-0 but gassed out at the end of the season. They lost three of their last four, including the playoffs. They were bounced in their first postseason game when Manning was sacked five times by the Steelers, and Mike Vanderjagt couldn’t connect on a game-tying 46-yard field goal that would have sent the game into overtime.

Manning had a similar team with a strong defense a decade later with the Broncos, and they won a Super Bowl.

23. 1979-82 San Diego Chargers

Record: 39-18 (.684 win percentage)

Head coach: Don Coryell

Points for: 1,595 (28.0/g)

Points against: 1,184 (20.8/g)

Notable players: Dan Fouts, John Jefferson, Kellen Winslow, Gary Johnson

Finish: Lost in two AFC championship games (34-27 to Oakland Raiders in 1980 season, lost 27-7 to Cincinnati Bengals in 1981)

23. 1979-82 San Diego Chargers

Bottom line: Coach Don Coryell introduced his "Air Coryell" scheme to the NFL in the late 1970s, and it made the Chargers the league’s preeminent offense.

From 1979 to 1982, the Chargers scored nearly 200 more points than any other team as Dan Fouts spread the ball to his bevy of Pro Bowl receivers, running backs and tight ends. But when it came playoff time, the offense-first Chargers always came up short and were eliminated by four different teams in four straight years.

Their best shot came in 1981 when they advanced to their second straight AFC championship game but had to travel to frigid Cincinnati for the game. After playing in 88-degree weather the week before in Miami, the Chargers then had to play in a -37-degree wind chill in what is the coldest game in NFL history. San Diego lost the "Freezer Bowl" 27-7 and would never see another title game under Coryell.

22. 2000 Tennessee Titans

Record: 13-3 (.813 win percentage)

Head coach: Jeff Fisher

Points for: 346 (21.6/g)

Points against: 191 (11.9/g)

Notable players: Steve McNair, Eddie George, Derrick Mason, Jevon Kearse

Finish: Lost 23-10 to Baltimore Ravens in divisional round

22. 2000 Tennessee Titans

Bottom line: Everybody remembers the 2000 Ravens as one of the greatest defenses ever, but what they don’t remember was that the 2000 Titans were every bit as good as Baltimore was.

The Titans actually allowed fewer yards than the Ravens did and finished second in scoring defense behind Ray Lewis and company. The two divisional rivals split their regular-season matchups, and they were knotted up at 10 in the fourth quarter in their postseason game.

However, a late blocked field goal return touchdown and a pick-six were the differences in the game, and those propelled the Ravens to the next round while the Titans were all but forgotten.

21. 1987 San Francisco 49ers

Record: 13-2 (.867 win percentage)

Head coach: Bill Walsh

Points for: 459 (30.6/g)

Points against: 253 (16.9/g)

Notable players: Joe Montana, Roger Craig, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott

Finish: Lost 36-24 to the Minnesota Vikings in divisional round

21. 1987 San Francisco 49ers

Bottom line: Due to a midseason strike, the regular season lasted 15 games, and replacement players were used in two of the 15 games. But some players, like Joe Montana, crossed the picket line and played. Montana led the Niners to the top-ranked offense while the defense allowed the fewest yards in the league.

However, some believe that karma came back to Montana for crossing the picket line, and he struggled in the 49ers' postseason defeat to Minnesota. "Joe Cool" was even benched in the second half and replaced by Steve Young, who was acquired in an offseason trade, and that would be the launching point for the Montana-Young rivalry.

20. 2014 Seattle Seahawks

Record: 12-4 (.750 win percentage)

Head coach: Pete Carroll

Points for: 394 (24.6/g)

Points against: 254 (15.9/g)

Notable players: Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, Bobby Wagner, Richard Sherman

Finish: Lost 28-24 to New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX

20. 2014 Seattle Seahawks

Bottom line: Everyone remembers how this season ended. You only need to say the name of Malcolm Butler to give nightmares to Seahawks fans.

But this was a great Seahawks team all season and one that built off their Super Bowl-winning team the previous season. Russell Wilson had another year of experience under his belt, and Seattle again led the NFL in scoring defense after doing the same the previous year.

The only thing missing was some common sense in goal-line situations with the Super Bowl on the line.

19. 1973-80 Los Angeles Rams

Record: 86-31-1 (.733 win percentage)

Head coach: Chuck Knox, Ray Malavasi

Points for: 2,679 (22.7/g)

Points against: 1,673 (14.2/g)

Notable players: Lawrence McCutcheon, Harold Jackson, Jack Youngblood, Merlin Olsen

Finish: Lost in one Super Bowl (XIV, 38-19 to Pittsburgh Steelers in 1979 season), lost in four NFC championship games (lost 14-10 to Minnesota Vikings in 1974, lost 37-7 to Dallas Cowboys in 1975, lost 24-13 to Minnesota Vikings in 1976, lost 28-0 to Dallas Cowboys in 1978)

19. 1973-80 Los Angeles Rams

Bottom line: Most teams' windows at a Super Bowl last three or four seasons, but the Rams' run lasted eight years and spanned two head coaches. No team won more regular-season games than they did from 1973 to 1980, and no team lost more postseason games during those years.

The Rams' best opportunity during this stretch came in the first year. They had the No. 1 scoring offense, the No. 4 scoring defense and the league’s best turnover margin. But they were upset in their postseason opener to the Cowboys, which would become a recurring theme.

During the Rams’ eight-year run, they were knocked out of the playoffs by Dallas four times and by Minnesota three times.

18. 1965 Cleveland Browns

Record: 11-3 (.786 win percentage)

Head coach: Blanton Collier

Points for: 363 (25.9/g)

Points against: 325 (23.2/g)

Notable players: Frank Ryan, Jim Brown, Gary Collins, Jim Houston

Finish: Lost 23-12 to Green Bay Packers in NFL Championship Game

18. 1965 Cleveland Browns

Bottom line: This turned out to be Jim Brown’s last game, and it wasn’t one worth remembering.

The Browns were looking to defend their NFL championship, and the game-day settings seemed perfect for it to be a "Jim Brown Game." The surface at Lambeau Field was covered in snow and mud, and the Packers seemed aware of that and gave their Hall of Fame running backs Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor a combined 45 carries.

But Brown received just 12 carries as Cleveland deviated from its game plan despite being a one-point game at the start of the second half. After this game, Brown traded the NFL for Hollywood and announced his retirement a few months later. The Cleveland Browns have not made it to an NFL Championship Game or Super Bowl since then.

17. 1958-63 New York Giants

Record: 58-17-3 (.763 win percentage)

Head coach: Jim Lee Howell (1958-60), Allie Sherman (1961-63)

Points for: 2,015 (25.8/g)

Points against: 1,397 (17.9/g)

Notable players: Charlie Conerly, Y.A. Tittle, Frank Gifford, Andy Robustelli, Sam Huff

Finish: Lost in 5 NFL Championship Games (23-17 to Baltimore Colts in 1958 season, 31-16 to Colts in 1959, 37-0 to Green Bay Packers in 1961, 16-7 to Green Bay Packers in 1962, 14-10 to Chicago Bears in 1963)

17. 1958-63 New York Giants

Bottom line: The Giants were loaded during this period and had eight future Hall of Famers on their teams. Yet no matter how dominant they were in the regular season, they always came up short in the title game.

They lost the 1958 NFL Championship Game to the Colts, aka "The Greatest Game Ever Played," and then lost the rematch a year later. After a down year in 1960 that resulted in the team bringing in Y.A. Tittle at quarterback, the Giants made three straight title games from 1961 to 1963. However, they lost the first two to the Packers and the third to the Bears, and that loss signaled the end of their faux dynasty.

No team won more games than the Giants from 1958 to 1963, but going 0-5 in the championship games is all people remember about this era.

16. 1999 Jacksonville Jaguars

Record: 14-2 (.875 win percentage)

Head coach: Tom Coughlin

Points for: 396 (24.8/g)

Points against: 217 (13.6/g)

Notable players: Mark Brunell, Jimmy Smith, Keenan McCardell, Kevin Hardy

Finish: Lost 33-14 to Tennesse Titans in AFC championship game

16. 1999 Jacksonville Jaguars

Bottom line: There have been four instances since the NFL moved to a 16-game schedule that one team had all of its season losses to the same team. Three are obvious as the teams lost just one game all season (regular and post), and that’s the 1984 49ers, 1985 Bears and 2007 Patriots. But the fourth is the 1999 Jaguars, who lost two regular-season games and one postseason game to the same team.

The Titans were the Jags’ Kryptonite that season. Jacksonville had a minus-47-point differential against Tennessee and a plus-262 point differential against every other team. That includes a 62-7 divisional round victory over the Dolphins in what is the second-biggest postseason blowout in NFL history.

But Jacksonville’s conference championship game against Tennessee went much like their earlier two games against the Titans, which means it was a sloppy, turnover-filled fest. The Jags committed 13 turnovers in their three games against Tennessee while also committing 13 turnovers in their other 15 games combined.

15. 2000-04 Philadelphia Eagles

Record: 59-21 (.738 win percentage)

Head coach: Andy Reid

Points for: 1,869 (23.4/g)

Points against: 1,241 (15.5/g)

Notable players: Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Hugh Douglas, Brian Dawkins

Finish: Lost in Super Bowl (XXXIX, 24-21 to New England Patriots in 2004 season) and lost three straight NFC championship games (29-24 to St. Louis Rams in 2001, 27-10 to Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002, 14-3 to Carolina Panthers in 2003)

15. 2000-04 Philadelphia Eagles

Bottom line: Most pseudo-dynasties are built around great offensive teams, but the Andy Reid/Donovan McNabb Eagles hung their hats on strong defenses. No team allowed fewer points than the Eagles did from 2000 to 2004, and the offense was solid with McNabb at the helm, but it lacked a dynamic element.

That changed in 2004 when the team acquired Terrell Owens after losing in their third straight NFC championship game. T.O. helped Philly advance one step further to the Super Bowl, and he played valiantly in the big game on a broken leg before the Eagles succumbed to the Patriots.

The Eagles won more games than any other team from 2000 to 2004, including the Patriots, but they never won the one that mattered the most.

14. 1984 Miami Dolphins

Record: 14-2 (.875 win percentage)

Head coach: Don Shula

Points for: 513 (32.1/g)

Points against: 298 (18.6/g)

Notable players: Dan Marino, Mark Clayton, Mark Duper, Doug Betters

Finish: Lost 38-16 to San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XIX

14. 1984 Miami Dolphins

Bottom line: Dan Marino’s best team and best chance to win a Super Bowl came in his second NFL season. The sophomore ran roughshod over the rest of the NFL and set numerous records on the way to winning his only MVP.

The Dolphins rolled through their first two playoff games but ran into an immovable object in Super Bowl XIX. The 49ers' top-ranked defense made the Dolphins one-dimensional, and Marino threw the ball 50 times while the team had just eight rushing attempts.

The Dolphins scored their fewest points all season (16) in the loss, and it would be Don Shula’s last appearance in the Super Bowl.

13. 1969-79 Minnesota Vikings

Jim Marshall, Doug Southerland, Scott Studwell

Record: 87-24-1 (.781 win percentage)

Head coach: Bud Grant

Points for: 2,548 (22.8/g)

Points against: 1,386 (12.4/g)

Notable players: Fran Tarkenton, Chuck Foreman, Alan Page, Paul Krause

Finish: Lost in four Super Bowls (IV, 23-7 to Kansas City Chiefs in 1969 season; VIII, 24-7 to Miami Dolphins in 1973; IX, 16-6 to Pittsburgh Steeles in 1974; XI, 32-14 to Oakland Raiders in 1976)

13. 1969-79 Minnesota Vikings

Bottom line: Long before Marv Levy and the Buffalo Bills lost four Super Bowls, Bud Grant and the Vikings did it first, although they weren’t consecutively.

The Vikings were defensive-first teams during this era, and they finished with a top-three scoring defense seven times during these eight seasons. But even though they had Fran Tarkenton at quarterback for three of the Super Bowls, the Hall of Famer shrunk in the spotlight of the big game and threw just one touchdown compared to six interceptions.

The Vikings lost all four of their Super Bowls by double digits and had an average margin of defeat of 15 points in the games.

12. 2006 San Diego Chargers

Record: 14-2 (.875 win percentage)

Head coach: Marty Schottenheimer

Points for: 492 (30.8/g)

Points against: 303 (18.9/g)

Notable players: Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates, Shawne Merriman

Finish: Lost 24-21 to New England Patriots in divisional round

12. 2006 San Diego Chargers

Bottom line: This was Marty Schottenheimer’s 21st and final season as an NFL head coach, and this was his best opportunity to win a Super Bowl. Schottenheimer always had been a defense-first head coach so when he got the No. 1 scoring offense, it seemed that everything was in place for him to finally break through.

But the Chargers couldn’t even nab a single postseason victory. They were upset at home by the Patriots. Four turnovers did them in, including a heartbreaking one late in the game when the Chargers were up by eight points.

San Diego picked off Tom Brady with eight minutes left in the game, but the intercepting player fumbled during his return, which was recovered by New England. The Patriots tied the game on that drive, forced a three-and-out and then kicked the game-winning field goal.

11. 2013 Denver Broncos

Record: 13-3 (.813 win percentage)

Head coach: John Fox

Points for: 606 (37.9/g)

Points against: 399 (24.9/g)

Notable players: Peyton Manning, Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Von Miller

Finish: Lost 43-8 to Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII

11. 2013 Denver Broncos

Bottom line: No team has ever scored more points in a season than the Broncos did in 2013, and Peyton Manning also broke individual records for passing yards and passing touchdowns. The Broncos could have gone scoreless during the entire month of November and still outscored everyone else in the league by 75 points, but none of that mattered during the Super Bowl.

The Broncos’ No. 1 scoring offense met the Seahawks’ No. 1 scoring defense, and the old adage of "defense wins championships" proved true. Seattle nearly shut out Denver and allowed just one single score as they prevailed 43-8 in what is the third-largest blowout in Super Bowl history.

10. 1972-75 Oakland Raiders

Record: 42-12-2 (.768 win percentage)

Head coach: John Madden

Points for: 1,387 (24.8/g)

Points against: 906 (16.2/g)

Notable players: Ken Stabler, Cliff Branch, Willie Brown, Jack Tatum

Finish: Lost three straight AFC championship games (27-10 to Miami Dolphins in 1973 season, 24-13 to Pittsburgh Steelers in 1974, 16-10 to Pittsburgh Steelers in 1975)

10. 1972-75 Oakland Raiders

Bottom line: John Madden has the highest winning percentage of any coach in NFL history, and he never had a losing season during his 10 years with the Raiders. But Madden won just one Super Bowl, in 1976, despite having many opportunities to do so.

His 1972 team won its division but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers via "The Immaculate Reception" in the Raiders' playoff opener. The next year, Oakland fell in the AFC championship game to the Dolphins, who went on to win their second Super Bowl in a row. The Raiders got their revenge in 1974 by beating Miami in the divisional round, but they fell to the Steelers in the championship game, and those same Steelers beat Oakland again in the same round in 1975.

So over a four-year span, the Raiders were on the wrong end of the most famous play in NFL history and then fell in the AFC championship game three straight years to three teams that won the Super Bowl.

9. 2011 Green Bay Packers

Record: 15-1 (.938 win percentage)

Head coach: Mike McCarthy

Points for: 560 (35.0/g)

Points against: 359 (22.4/g)

Notable players: Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson, Clay Matthews III, Charles Woodson

Finish: Lost 37-20 to New York Giants in divisional round

9. 2011 Green Bay Packers

Bottom line: After winning the Super Bowl the previous season and then starting the 2011 campaign 13-0, the Packers were heavy, heavy favorites to repeat as champs.

But they couldn’t even win a playoff game and got housed by the eventual champion Giants 37-20 in the divisional round. The Packers were uncharacteristically sloppy in the game as their four turnovers matched the amount they had in their previous six games combined.

The Packers were the sixth team to win at least 15 games in a season, but the first of those six to not win a single playoff game.

8. 1998 Minnesota Vikings

Record: 15-1 (.938 win percentage)

Head coach: Dennis Green

Points for: 556 (34.8/g)

Points against: 296 (18.5/g)

Notable players: Randall Cunningham, Randy Moss, Cris Carter, John Randle

Finish: Lost 30-27 to Atlanta Falcons in NFC championship game

8. 1998 Minnesota Vikings

Bottom line: These Vikings were the third 15-1 team in NFL history, but the first of those to not win the Super Bowl. They didn’t even make it to the big game despite scoring the most points in NFL history during the regular season.

The strength of this team was their pass offense and their special teams, and while one of those units showed up in the NFC championship game, the other did not. Rookie Randy Moss found the end zone against the Falcons in the title game, just as he did for a rookie record of 17 touchdowns in the regular season. But kicker Gary Anderson choked when it mattered the most. After going a perfect 94-for-94 in kicks during the regular season, Anderson missed a field-goal attempt in the NFC championship game.

That proved to be the difference as Minnesota lost by three points.

7. 1986 Chicago Bears

Record: 14-2 (.875 win percentage)

Head coach: Mike Ditka

Points for: 352 (22.0/g)

Points against: 187 (11.7/g)

Notable players: Jim McMahon, Walter Payton, Richard Dent, Mike Singletary

Finish: Lost 27-13 to Washington Redskins in divisional round

7. 1986 Chicago Bears

Bottom line: Everyone knows about the dominance of the 1985 Bears, but what they forget was that the 1986 Bears were even better. Defensively, the 1986 team allowed fewer points than the Super Bowl-shuffling Bears. However, the offense took a step back in ’86.

The Bears scored roughly 100 points fewer this season thanks to Jim McMahon being in and out of the lineup due to injuries. McMahon won 23 straight games as a starter by the end of the 1986 regular season, but a shoulder injury kept him on the sideline once the postseason started.

Backup Doug Flutie had yet to find his "Flutie Flakes" and suffered defeat in the Bears' playoff opener, thus ending their chance for a repeat.

6. 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers

Record: 10-4 (.714 win percentage)

Head coach: Chuck Noll

Points for: 342 (24.4/g)

Points against: 138 (9.9/g)

Notable players: Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Joe Greene, Jack Lambert

Finish: Lost 24-7 to Oakland Raiders in AFC championship game

6. 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers

Bottom line: The Steelers were going for a Super Bowl three-peat in 1976, but those prospects seemed in peril after a 1-4 start.

However, the "Steel Curtain" defense showed up thereafter, and Pittsburgh allowed just two touchdowns over their next nine games. They shut out five of those opponents and entered the postseason on a nine-game losing streak. But injuries in their divisional win really were felt in an AFC championship game loss to the Raiders.

Despite just the 10-4 record and not winning the Super Bowl, many Steelers players and execs cite this as the best team in franchise history. That includes Jack Lambert and the Rooney family, and ESPN once named the ’76 Steelers as the greatest defense in NFL history.

There would be no three-peat, but Pittsburgh won another two Super Bowls over the following three years.

5. 1968 Baltimore Colts

Record: 13-1 (.929 win percentage)

Head coach: Don Shula

Points for: 402 (28.7/g)

Points against: 144 (10.3/g)

Notable players: Earl Morrall, Johnny Unitas, John Mackey, Mike Curtis

Finish: Lost 16-7 to New York Jets in Super Bowl III

5. 1968 Baltimore Colts

Bottom line: Somebody had to be on the losing end of Joe Namath’s Super Bowl guarantee, and it was the 13-1 Baltimore Colts. Their only loss all year before that was to the Browns, who they then beat in the NFL championship game to set up the Super Bowl III game against the Jets.

The Colts were 18-point favorites against the AFL champion Jets, but that didn’t matter once the game started. Baltimore was sloppy with the ball and committed five turnovers compared to scoring just seven points. Starter Earl Morrall threw three interceptions before being replaced by Johnny Unitas, who was relegated to backup duty after being hurt most of the year.

Johnny U couldn’t save the Colts, and this remains the biggest upset in Super Bowl history.

4. 1983 Washington Redskins

Record: 14-2 (.875 win percentage)

Head coach: Joe Gibbs

Points for: 541 (33.8/g)

Points against: 332 (20.8/g)

Notable players: Joe Theismann, John Riggins, Dave Butz, Mark Murphy

Finish: Lost 38-9 to Los Angeles Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII

4. 1983 Washington Redskins

Bottom line: When you look at the stats, you wonder how this team lost a single game all season. They scored a record 541 points, which was the most in the 64-year history of the NFL, and also had a turnover margin of plus-43, a record which still stands today.

Their two regular-season losses each came by one point each, but they had a regular-season win over the Raiders, who they met in Super Bowl XVIII. In that regular-season game, the Redskins pulled off a 67-yard screen pass that the Raiders were waiting for in the rematch. Linebacker Jack Squirek sniffed out the play and picked off Joe Theismann before returning it for a pick-six.

That essentially spelled the end of the Redskins in the game, and they were blown out 38-9 to the 12-4 Raiders.

3. 1942 Chicago Bears

Gary Famiglietti, Hugh Gallerneau, Ray Molting, Sid Luckman

Record: 11-0 (1.000 win percentage)

Head coach: George Halas, Hunk Anderson, Luke Johnsos

Points for: 376 (34.2/g)

Points against: 84 (7.6/g)

Notable players: Sid Luckman, Gary Famiglietti, Frank Maznicki, Hugh Gallarneau

Finish: Lost 14-6 to Washington Redskins in NFL Championship Game

3. 1942 Chicago Bears

Bottom line: This was a weird season for the Bears and the entire NFL. The reason why they have three head coaches listed is that George Halas went off to World War II in the middle of the season, leaving behind Hunk Anderson and Luke Johnsos as co-coaches. Even without Halas, the Bears rolled through their competition and had a perfect regular season with each victory coming by at least two touchdowns.

However, the top-ranked Bears offense was shut down in the NFL Championship Game, and Chicago lost 14-6 to the Redskins. The Bears’ only score came on a fumble return as they turned the ball over four times en route to the Redskins avenging their 73-0 NFL Championship Game loss two years earlier to the Bears.

2. Early 90s Buffalo Bills

Record: 49-15 (.766 win percentage)

Head coach: Marv Levy

Points for: 1,596 (24.9/g)

Points against: 1,106 (17.3/g)

Notable players: Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Bruce Smith

Finish: Lost in four straight Super Bowls (20-19 to New York Giants in 1990 season, 37-24 to Washington Redskins 1991, 52-17 to Dallas Cowboys in 1992, 30-13 to Dallas Cowboys in 1993)

2. Early 1990s Buffalo Bills

Bottom line: You could make the case that an NFL team will win four straight Super Bowls before another team loses four straight like the Buffalo Bills did.

No other team in NFL history has ever lost more than two straight Super Bowls, but the Bills doubled that record. The hallmark of these Bills teams was their K-gun offense, and no AFC team scored more points than Buffalo from 1990 to 1993.

But the Bills came up small in the big game and averaged 18 points during their four Super Bowls. Their closest chance came in Super Bowl XXV, but Scott Norwood was wide right on a 47-yard field goal with eight seconds left, which enabled the Giants to win 20-19.

1. 2007 New England Patriots

Record: 16-0 (1.000 win percentage)

Head coach: Bill Belichick

Points for: 589 (36.8/g)

Points against: 274 (17.1/g)

Notable players: Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Rodney Harrison

Finish: Lost 17-14 to New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII

1. 2007 New England Patriots

Bottom line: All it took was one loss to separate the 2007 Patriots from being the greatest team in NFL history instead of No. 1 on this list. These Patriots were the fourth team to go undefeated in NFL history, but the first to post a 16-0 record. Still, you could see the team starting decline in the second half of the season, before an even steeper decline in the postseason.

The Patriots averaged over 41 points per game through the first half of the season. That average dropped to 32 points over the last half of the season. The drop was even bigger in the playoffs as they put up just 22 points per game, and the New York Giants figured them out at just the right time.

The Giants’ pass rush held Tom Brady and Co. to just 14 points, and the Giants shocked the world by winning Super Bowl XLII in what was the biggest upset in the big game since Joe Namath and the Jets won Super Bowl III.