That Giants team lost Strahan and Burress and still went like 12-4 the next year. They were pretty good talent wise, just Eli was inconsistent/sucked early in the year which masked a lot of their strengths....I think they were better than the 2011 team that barely beat a flawed NE team.
I'd probably say the 2012 Ravens in the modern era though....Their D really wasn't as great as it had been in some past years. It was Lewis last year in the league, Reed's last with the team. They needed a busted covg hail mary to win @ Denver and while they dominated the Patriots @ NE, it was without Gronk and Talib got hurt early which killed NE's D that day.
Then they faced the 9ers in the superbowl and won a game that came down to the last possesson, Jimmy Smith got the benefit of the doubt with the refs on a bang bang play to Crabtree and they won it all. Joe Flacco also likely sold his soul to the devil for all of this happen.
No disrespect to them, it was a hell of a run but probably the definition of a team that "Got hot at the right time with the right amount of luck"...2001 Patriots up there as well, but that '99-'02 period of NFL I just think was watered down with a lot of the 90's teams fading, star QB's retiring and teams just not grasping how to deal with the salary cap.
I'd probably say the 2012 Ravens in the modern era though....Their D really wasn't as great as it had been in some past years. It was Lewis last year in the league, Reed's last with the team. They needed a busted covg hail mary to win @ Denver and while they dominated the Patriots @ NE, it was without Gronk and Talib got hurt early which killed NE's D that day.
Then they faced the 9ers in the superbowl and won a game that came down to the last possesson, Jimmy Smith got the benefit of the doubt with the refs on a bang bang play to Crabtree and they won it all. Joe Flacco also likely sold his soul to the devil for all of this happen.
No disrespect to them, it was a hell of a run but probably the definition of a team that "Got hot at the right time with the right amount of luck"...2001 Patriots up there as well, but that '99-'02 period of NFL I just think was watered down with a lot of the 90's teams fading, star QB's retiring and teams just not grasping how to deal with the salary cap.
2011 NYG?
9-7, negative point differential, and fortuitous win against SF to get there when SF fumbled punts in the 4th quarter and OT
But they won every game down the stretch, last two regular season games and four post season games
9-7, negative point differential, and fortuitous win against SF to get there when SF fumbled punts in the 4th quarter and OT
But they won every game down the stretch, last two regular season games and four post season games
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1497331-the-worst-teams-to-ever-win-a-super-bowl#slide0
This author provides his top ten, neither the 2011 Giants nor 2012 Ravens make the list, but the 1968 Jets come in at # 2
This author provides his top ten, neither the 2011 Giants nor 2012 Ravens make the list, but the 1968 Jets come in at # 2
Steelers in Super Bowl 40, which was given to them!
Pats first Super Bowl, shouldn't have been there, advanced on a make believe rule!
Without the refs aiding in the victory the winner has to be the 1990 Giants. Advanced on a Craig fumble, and then the worst complete game coaching I think in the history of the NFL. Quinn comes a close second. I still don't understand why you want to give the other team the ball, and "rush" through your offence! Speaking of rush Thomas averaged 9 yards per carry!! A single cell organism could probably figure it out that he needed to have a few more carries than the 15 in the game!! The Giants didn't shut down their most dangerous weapon, Levy/Kelly did it!!
Pats first Super Bowl, shouldn't have been there, advanced on a make believe rule!
Without the refs aiding in the victory the winner has to be the 1990 Giants. Advanced on a Craig fumble, and then the worst complete game coaching I think in the history of the NFL. Quinn comes a close second. I still don't understand why you want to give the other team the ball, and "rush" through your offence! Speaking of rush Thomas averaged 9 yards per carry!! A single cell organism could probably figure it out that he needed to have a few more carries than the 15 in the game!! The Giants didn't shut down their most dangerous weapon, Levy/Kelly did it!!
You can make a case for the eagles 2 years ago .
Basically got hot and barely made the playoffs .
Were underdogs in every single playoff game and the super bowl .
And beat a team in the NFC championship game who got there on a fluke play .
And they have been pretty much garbage ever since .
Basically got hot and barely made the playoffs .
Were underdogs in every single playoff game and the super bowl .
And beat a team in the NFC championship game who got there on a fluke play .
And they have been pretty much garbage ever since .
I was just gonna post this. Eagles are the most recent that comes to mind. They got hot at the right time.
It is hard to put teams like '88 9ers, '05 Steelers on the list because they were elite teams that had multi-year runs. Over 16 games, shit happens and you can have a down regular season. The Steelers were 1 of the best team the year before, won the SB a few years later, barely lost again a few years after that. The 9ers run speaks for itself.
Winning other years just kinda validates that you were top tier for the most part.
Look at the teams from around '99-02 though. '00 Ravens, '02 Buccs, '01 Pats...The league just sucked then, these teams were a product of that era more than weak outliers. Not surprising 2 of those 3 teams are considered all time defenses given who they got to play in the playoffs.
Winning other years just kinda validates that you were top tier for the most part.
Look at the teams from around '99-02 though. '00 Ravens, '02 Buccs, '01 Pats...The league just sucked then, these teams were a product of that era more than weak outliers. Not surprising 2 of those 3 teams are considered all time defenses given who they got to play in the playoffs.
I mean none of these teams suck
Maybe the 2001 patriots?
You had Bledsoe start the season who gets injured. An unknown 2nd year qb takes over and was nothing special for a few games.
They played a 5th place schedule (stuff was different pre 2002) so it was pretty easy. Also the league only had 31 teams so they had a week 16 bye to rest their players to be fresh for the playoffs.
Lets not forget the tuck rule game in the playoffs.
Plus they were supposed to get blown out in the super bowl
They didnt even make the playoffs the next season!!!
Of course we all know how this turned out
You had Bledsoe start the season who gets injured. An unknown 2nd year qb takes over and was nothing special for a few games.
They played a 5th place schedule (stuff was different pre 2002) so it was pretty easy. Also the league only had 31 teams so they had a week 16 bye to rest their players to be fresh for the playoffs.
Lets not forget the tuck rule game in the playoffs.
Plus they were supposed to get blown out in the super bowl
They didnt even make the playoffs the next season!!!
Of course we all know how this turned out
