Best team not to win a Super Bowl

[Auriaprottu]

I took some liberties with one team (90-93 Bills), because the nucleus of that team stayed together for the four years and won four consecutive AFC titles.

In chronological order:

1968 Colts- The NFL champions who lost to Namath's Jets.

1974 Vikings- Tarkenton and the Purple People Eaters. NFC champions lost to the Steelers.

1976 Steelers- The two-time defending Super Bowl champs lost the AFC title game to the Raiders, but both Franco and Rocky were injured and didn't play.

1978 Cowboys- IMO as complete a team as ever there was, but bridesmaids all the same.

1983 Redskins- Defending champs lost to the Raiders.

1990-1993 Bills- Four-time AFC champions, just couldn't win that last one.

1998 Vikings- Lost to the Falcons in the NFC title game.

2001 Rams- lost to New England in the Super Bowl.

I could list only eight teams, but if you feel another team is deserving, say so when you post.

My honorable mentions: '66 Cowboys, '75 Cowboys, '82 Chargers, '84 Dolphins, '87 Broncos, '90 Broncos, '92 Niners, '93 Oilers.

[Ian McCracken]

Bar none, it was the 1976 Steelers. That team had the greatest defense in NFL history. They got off to a poor 1-4 start, but then reeled off 9 straight wins to end the season 10-4. In those nine wins, they had FIVE SHUTOUTS. In two other games, they gave up 3 points, in one other 6 points. In the other win, they gave up only 16. A total of 28 points against in NINE games, 12 points against in EIGHT of them. That is unheard of and almost impossible. As mentioned above, the Steelers lost both running backs (Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier) in the AFC Championship game and were beaten by the eventual Super Bowl champion Raiders. I've always said the greatest Steeler team ever was the 1976 team which did not win the Super Bowl.

[Chizzy]

1969 Vikings

[Sykotyk]

2001 Panthers.... nah, just kidding. I picked the '98 Vikings. I wasn't alive in the 70s, so I'm a bit bias, ... and the Vikes are the best time to not make it, I feel. They just seemed invincible that year... and then, bam, got blindsided by Atlanta thanks to their never-miss kicker missing the field goal.

Sykotyk

[Ludahai]

I picked the Bills of the early 90s. They were a great team. They won their conference title four years in a row, but just couldn't win the big one. To win your conference FOUR years in a row means you have to be pretty darn good.

I just hope the 2003 Patriots don't become a candidate for this list.

[yellowbismark]

i voted for the 98 Vikings, but only because they finished the season 15-1, that's one game off of a perfect season which hasn't happened when the schedule changed to 16 games, but the problem with that vote is the team didn't have much of a defense and the best teams should have a good defense. The more I think about it though, Ludahai's argument for the Bills is pretty compelling- 4 straight AFC titles. I'm too young to remember any NFL before the late 80s, but wow that's pretty impressive D by the Steelers.

[Chesco United]

BTW, the 1982 Redskins won the Super Bowl, the '83 version lost to the Raiders. The first post was correct, while the poll was not.

[skipshady]

I picked the Bills too. Their defense was underrated, I thought, and they actually did pretty well against NFC opponents in the regular season. Something always seemed to go wrong when they got to the Super Bowl, however. And Thurman Thomas should've been the MVP of Super Bowl XXV, regardless of the outcome.

Also, San Francisco 49ers were pretty damn good in 1990-91, practically the same team that had won the previous 2 years, if not better.

[Auriaprottu]

Originally posted by Chesco United
BTW, the 1982 Redskins won the Super Bowl, the '83 version lost to the Raiders. The first post was correct, while the poll was not.

You're absolutely right. Thanks. I had to remind myself to change the "'82" to "'83" in the post, and then I forgot to change the poll. The poll should read '83 Skins.

I voted '76 Steelers. It was almost a toss-up with the snakebitten '90-'93 Bills, but the Steelers were going for a threepeat, and IMO, only the loss of both their starting ballcarriers prevented them from getting it. The defense mentioned earlier by Ian added to the confidence of a two time defending champ. Oakland had no problems with Minnesota in Super Bowl XI, and I don't think Pittsburgh would have, either. Imagine five in six years. What coulda been, what coulda been...

[Matt in the Hat]

Bills

Wide Right

[superdave]

As an oldtime Vikings fan, their best team was the one that the referee cheated out of a win over the Cowboys.

[Ludahai]

Originally posted by Matt in the Hat
Bills

Wide Right

LOL

[Goodsport]

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp 1987 San Francisco 49ers.

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp One of the few times that an NFL team had led the league in both offense and defense in the same season. The Niners were absolutely destroying their opponents... until they hit a wall in the playoffs against Minnesota. :(

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Ironically, they struggled the following year, yet still won the NFC West, exacted their revenge against Minnesota in the playoffs and went on to win the Super Bowl. :eek:


-G

[GringoTex]

The best one wasn't even listed: the 1994 Dallas Cowboys. The year after Jimmy Johnson ran off with his coaching staff. They lost to the 49ers in the NFC championship game due to some fluke turnovers and terrible game-day coaching. If JJ had stuck around those Cowboys would have won 4 straight Super Bowls.

[CHICO13]

Originally posted by Chesco United
BTW, the 1982 Redskins won the Super Bowl, the '83 version lost to the Raiders. The first post was correct, while the poll was not.
The ' 83 Redskins were dominant. They led the league in just about every offensive stat. They went 14-2 that year and lost the Bowl as most around these parts claim due to a collective team wide hangover. :rolleyes:

[Chizzy]

The 1997 San Francisco 49ers are a big disappointment. We finished 13-3 record that year, but ended up losing to the Packers at home in the NFC Championship.

[soccernutter]

Originally posted by Auriaprottu
You're absolutely right. Thanks. I had to remind myself to change the "'82" to "'83" in the post, and then I forgot to change the poll. The poll should read '83 Skins.


Fixed.

And I believe, despite my bias towards the Raiders, that they would have won if not for Marcus' jaunt.

[Chesco United]

Originally posted by soccernutter
Fixed.

And I believe, despite my bias towards the Raiders, that they would have won if not for Marcus' jaunt.

The Raiders had the game well in hand before Marcus' moment. My beloved Redskins just had a stinker of a game at the wrong time (and full congratulations to the Raiders for a dominating performance.)

[gremista]

Originally posted by CHICO13
The ' 83 Redskins were dominant. They led the league in just about every offensive stat. They went 14-2 that year and lost the Bowl as most around these parts claim due to a collective team wide hangover. :rolleyes:

You shouldn't try and outparty the Raiders

[Ghost]

Originally posted by GringoTex
The best one wasn't even listed: the 1994 Dallas Cowboys. The year after Jimmy Johnson ran off with his coaching staff. They lost to the 49ers in the NFC championship game due to some fluke turnovers and terrible game-day coaching. If JJ had stuck around those Cowboys would have won 4 straight Super Bowls.

Agreed. That team was absolutely magnetic. They won 55 minutes of the Championship game Unfortunately they were down 21-0 (or was it 17-0) after the first five minutes.Same basic talent as the year before, Benedict Norton, Jr. being a notable exception.