Tuesday, June 28, 2011

NFL: How Super Bowl teams fared the following season

Almost since Super Bowl XLV went final, there's been talk about the Packers repeating. But repeating has never been easy, and in the last 12 seasons, even getting back to the playoffs hasn't been a gimmie for Super Bowl teams.

This table takes the winners and losers of each Super Bowl, and shows their respective regular season records, and post season results (if any). (Naturally, the results for the Packers and Steelers are pending).

Update: added results for 2014.

SeasonWinnerW-L-TPostLoserW-L-TPost
2015Patriots TBDTBD Seahawks TBDTBD
2014Seahawks 12-4(2-1) Broncos 12-4(0-1)
2013Ravens 8- 849ers 12- 4(2-1)
2012Giants 9- 7Patriots 12- 4(1-1)
2011Packers 15- 1(0-1) Steelers 12- 4(0-1)
2010Saints 11- 5(0-1) Colts 10- 6(0-1)
2009Steelers 9- 7Cardinals 10- 6(1-1)
2008Giants 12- 4(0-1) Patriots 11- 5
2007Colts 13- 3(0-1) Bears 7- 9
2006Steelers 8- 8Seahawks 9- 7(1-1)
2005Patriots 10- 6(1-1) Eagles 6-10
2004Patriots 14- 2(3-0) Panthers 7- 9
2003Buccaneers 7- 9Raiders 4-12
2002Patriots 9- 7Rams 7- 9
2001Ravens 10- 6(1-1) Giants 7- 9
2000Rams 10- 6(0-1) Titans 13- 3(0-1)
1999Broncos 6-10Falcons 5-11
1998Broncos 14- 2 (3-0) Packers 11- 5 (0-1)
1997Packers 13- 3 (2-1) Patriots 10- 6 (1-1)
1996Cowboys 10- 6 (1-1) Steelers 10- 6 (1-1)
199549ers 11- 5 (0-1) Chargers 9- 7 (0-1)
1994Cowboys 12- 4 (1-1) Bills 7- 9
1993Cowboys 12- 4 (3-0) Bills 12- 4 (2-1)
1992Redskins 9- 7 (1-1) Bills 11- 5 (3-1)
1991Giants 8- 8Bills 13- 3 (2-1)
199049ers 14- 2 (1-1) Broncos 5-11
198949ers 14- 2 (3-0) Bengals 8- 8
1988Redskins 7- 9Broncos 8- 8
1987Giants 6- 9Broncos 10- 4-1(2-1)
1986Bears 14- 2 (0-1) Patriots 11- 5 (0-1)
198549ers 10- 6 (0-1) Dolphins 12- 4 (1-1)
1984Raiders 11- 5 (0-1) Redskins 11- 5 (0-1)
1983Redskins 14- 2 (2-1) Dolphins 12- 4 (0-1)
198249ers 3- 6 Bengals 7- 2 (0-1)
1981Raiders 7- 9 Eagles 10- 6 (0-1)
1980Steelers 9- 7 Rams 11- 5 (0-1)
1979Steelers 12- 4 (3-0) Cowboys 11- 5 (0-1)
1978Cowboys 12- 4 (2-1) Broncos 10- 6 (0-1)
1977Raiders 11- 3 (1-1) Vikings 9- 5 (1-1)
1976Steelers 10- 4 (1-1) Cowboys 11- 3 (0-1)
1975Steelers 12- 2 (3-0) Vikings 12- 2 (0-1)
1974Dolphins 11- 3 (0-1) Vikings 10- 4 (2-1)
1973Dolphins 12- 2 (3-0) Redskins 10- 4 (0-1)
1972Cowboys 10- 4 (1-1) Dolphins 14- 0 (3-0)
1971Colts 10- 4 (1-1) Cowboys 11- 3 (3-0)
1970Chiefs 7- 5-2Vikings 12- 2 (0-1)
1969Jets 10- 4 (0-1) Colts 8- 5-1
1968Packers 6- 7-1Raiders 12- 2 (1-1)
1967Packers 9- 4-1(3-0) Chiefs 9- 5

Comments:

  • In the 32 seasons from 1967 to 1998, there was only one season (1988) where both Super Bowl teams from the previous year were out of the playoffs.

  • Of the 64 Super Bowl teams in this era, 14 (21.9%) were out of the playoffs the following season.

  • In the 12 seasons from 1999 to 2010, we've already had three seasons (1999, 2002, and 2003) where both Super Bowl teams were out of the playoffs the following year.

  • Of the 24 Super Bowl teams in this era, 13 (54.2%) were out of the playoffs the following season.

  • The "Super Bowl losers' curse" really stands out in this table—only 2 of 12 losers since 1998 have even won one playoff game the following season, and 8 (66.7%) have been out of the playoffs completely.

  • Super Bowl winners haven't done well either. Since 1998, only the Ravens (2001) and Patriots (2004, 2005) have won a playoff game following their respective Super Bowl victories.

  • The 1987 Giants may deserve an asterisk for their 6-9 record. During the players' strike, the Giants' "replacement players" went 0-3, putting them in an 0-5 hole when the strike ended, which meant they were already pretty much out of the playoffs.