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Troll Report: NY Super Bowl run toughest ever
Cold, Hard Football Facts for February 12, 2008
 (Ed. Note: We have a pretty extensive Mail Pouch coming up, hopefully by the end of the week. In the meantime, here's an e-mail we got from one stat-loving troll, Jeff Blout, the other day. We're publishing it separately because it's pretty clear the dude did a lot of work compiling this info. And if anyone can appreciate his effort, it would be the group of indigents like you people who gather here. Basically, Blout says the Giants' playoff run is the most amazing ever, and provides the Cold, Hard Football Facts to support his belief.)
As a Patriots fan of over 30 years, the facts surrounding Super Bowl XLII are among the coldest and hardest I’ve ever had to swallow.
I am, however, a fan of football history and an admitted stat geek, so let’s get to the facts. Hopefully, none of your staff has already compiled these numbers. I didn’t see anything like this at your site. If anyone can follow this you guys can.
Since 1978, the year the NFL expanded the schedule to a 16-game regular season, there have been only five Super Bowl champions who had fewer regular season wins than the average of the teams they beat in the division, championship, and Super Bowl rounds of the playoffs (I did not include the wild-card round since few Super Bowl champions played in that round). These teams with fewer wins than their average playoff opponent are:
- the 1988 49ers
- the 2001 Patriots
- the 2005 Steelers
- the 2006 Colts
- the 2007 Giants
One thing instantly jumps out: four of the five teams to overcome postseason opponents who, on average, won more games than the champ in the regular season, did so this decade, including three-for-three in the last three years. The NFL has become a top-heavy league. But this data also shows us that teams who dominante the regular season can no longer be expected to rule the postseason, like they usually did in the past.
1988 49ers
The 1988 49ers were 10-6 and tied with the 2007 Giants for fewest victories by a Super Bowl champion in a non-strike season (though the 1967 Packers, back in the 14-game era, were 9-4-1). The 1988 49ers beat the Bengals (12-4), Bears (12-4) and Vikings (11-5). San Francisco’s playoff opponents averaged 11.67 wins – 1.67 more than the champion 49ers.
2001 Patriots
The 2001 Patriots were 11-5 and beat the Rams (14-2), Steelers (13-3), and Raiders (10-6). New England’s playoff opponents averaged 12.33 wins – 1.33 more wins than the champion Patriots.
2005 Steelers
The 2005 Steelers were 11-5 and beat the Seahawks (13-3), Broncos (13-3) and Colts (14-2). Pittsburgh’s opponents averaged 13.33 wins – 2.33 more wins than the champion Steelers.
2006 Colts
The 2006 Colts were 12-4 and beat the Bears (13-3), Patriots (12-4) and Ravens (13-3). Indy's opponents averaged 12.67 wins - 0.67 more wins than the champion Colts.
That’s all pretty impressive, but now let’s look at the 2007 Giants:
2007 Giants
The 2007 Giants were 10-6 and beat the Patriots (16-0), Packers (13-3) and Cowboys (13-3). New York’s opponents averaged 14 wins during the regular season – 4.0 wins more than the champion Giants.
The more you look at it, the more amazing the Giants’ run gets.
Incidentally, there have been only three teams that have beaten division-, championship-, and Super Bowl-round opponents who totaled 40 or more regular season victories, and all of them did it in the last four seasons
- the 2004 Patriots (opponents were 40-8)
- the 2005 Steelers (40-8)
- The 2007 Giants (42-6)
So much for parity, this has become a top-heavy league.
-Jeff Blout
Stoneham MA
P.S. Here’s the year-by-year data since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule, in case you’re interested (*-strike season).
1978 Pittsburgh Steelers (14-2)
SB - beat Dallas (12-4)
AFC - beat Houston (10-6)
DIV - beat Denver (10-6)
Total 32-16 (10.76-5.33)
1979 Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
SB beat LA Rams (9-7)
AFC beat Houston (11-5)
DIV beat Miami (10-6)
Total 30-18 (10-6)
1980 Oakland Raiders (11-5)
SB beat Philadelphia (12-4)
AFC beat San Diego (11-5)
DIV beat Houston (11-5)
Total 34-14 (11.33-4.67)
1981 San Francisco 49ers (13-3)
SB beat Cincinnati (12-4)
NFC beat Dallas (12-4)
DIV beat NY Giants (9-7)
Total 33-15 (11-5)
*1982 Washington Redskins (8-1)
SB beat Miami (7-2)
NFC beat Dallas (6-3)
DIV beat Minnesota (5-4)
Total 18-9 (6-3)
1983 Los Angeles Raiders (12-4)
SB beat Washington (14-2)
AFC beat Seattle (9-7)
DIV beat Pittsburgh (10-6)
Total 33-15 (11-5)
1984 San Francisco 49ers (15-1)
SB beat Miami (14-2)
NFC beat Chicago (10-6)
DIV beat NY Giants (9-7)
Total 33-15 (11-5)
1985 Chicago Bears (15-1)
SB beat New England (11-5)
NFC beat LA Rams (11-5)
DIV beat NY Giants (10-6)
Total 32-16 (10.67-5.33)
1986 New York Giants (14-2)
SB beat Denver (11-5)
NFC beat Washington (12-4)
DIV beat San Francisco (10-5-1)
Total 33-14-1 (11-4.67-.33)
*1987 Washington Redskins (11-4)
SB beat Denver (10-4-1)
NFC beat Minnesota (8-7)
DIV beat Chicago (11-4)
Total 29-15-1 (9.67-5-.33)
1988 San Francisco 49ers (10-6)
SB beat Cincinnati (12-4)
NFC beat Chicago (12-4)
DIV beat Minnesota (11-5)
Total 35-13 (11.67-4.33)
1989 San Francisco 49ers (14-2)
SB beat Denver (14-2)
NFC beat LA Rams (11-5)
DIV beat Minnesota (10-6)
Total 35-13 (11.67-4.33)
1990 New York Giants (13-3)
SB beat Buffalo (13-3)
NFC beat San Francisco (14-2)
DIV beat Chicago (11-5)
Total 38-10 (12.67-3.33)
1991 Washington Redskins (14-2)
SB beat Buffalo (13-3)
NFC beat Detroit (12-4)
DIV beat Atlanta (10-6)
Total 35-13 (11.67-4.33)
1992 Dallas Cowboys (13-3)
SB beat Buffalo (11-5)
NFC beat San Francisco (14-2)
DIV beat Philadelphia (11-5)
Total 36-12 (12-4)
1993 Dallas Cowboys (12-4)
SB beat Buffalo (12-4)
NFC beat San Francisco (10-6)
DIV beat Green Bay (9-7)
Total 31-17 (10.33-5.67)
1994 San Francisco 49ers (13-3)
SB beat San Diego (11-5)
NFC beat Dallas (12-4)
DIV beat Chicago (9-7)
Total 32-16 (10.67-5.33)
1995 Dallas Cowboys (12-4)
SB beat Pittsburgh (11-5)
NFC beat Green Bay (11-5)
DIV beat Philadelphia (10-6)
Total 32-16 (10.67-5.33)
1996 Green Bay Packers (13-3)
SB beat New England (11-5)
NFC beat Carolina (12-4)
DIV beat San Francisco (12-4)
Total 35-13 (11.67-4.33)
1997 Denver Broncos (12-4)
SB beat Green Bay (13-3)
AFC beat Pittsburgh (11-5)
DIV beat Kansas City (13-3)
Total 37-11 (12.33-3.67)
1998 Denver Broncos (14-2)
SB beat Atlanta (14-2)
AFC beat NY Jets (12-4)
DIV beat Miami (10-6)
Total 36-12 (12-4)
1999 St Louis Rams (13-3)
SB beat Tennessee (13-3)
NFC beat Tampa Bay (11-5)
DIV beat Minnesota (10-6)
Total 34-14 (11.33-4.67)
2000 Baltimore Ravens (12-4)
SB beat NY Giants (12-4)
AFC beat Oakland (12-4)
DIV beat Tennessee (13-3)
Total 37-11 (12.33-3.67)
2001 New England Patriots (11-5)
SB beat St L Rams (14-2)
AFC beat Pittsburgh (13-3)
DIV beat Oakland (10-6)
Total 37-11 (12.33-3.67)
2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-4)
SB beat Oakland (11-5)
NFC beat Philadelphia (12-4)
DIV beat San Francisco (10-6)
Total 33-15 (11-5)
2003 New England Patriots (14-2)
SB beat Carolina (11-5)
AFC beat Indianapolis (12-4)
DIV beat Tennessee (12-4)
Total 35-13 (11.67-4.33)
2004 New England Patriots (14-2)
SB beat Philadelphia (13-3)
AFC beat Pittsburgh (15-1)
DIV beat Indianapolis (12-4)
Total 40-8 (13.33-2.67)
2005 Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5)
SB beat Seattle (13-3)
AFC beat Denver (13-3)
DIV beat Indianapolis (14-2)
Total 40-8 (13.33-2.67)
2006 Indianapolis Colts (12-4)
SB beat Chicago (13-3)
AFC beat New England (12-4)
DIV beat Baltimore (13-3)
Total 38-10 (12.67-3.33)
2007 New York Giants (10-6)
SB beat New England (16-0)
NFC beat Green Bay (13-3)
DIV beat Dallas (13-3)
Total 42-6 (14-2)
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