They made a lot of history in 2007, but in our book New England's biggest and best record was this one: most dominant team of the Super Bowl Era, in terms of point differential per game over a full season.
By outscoring opponents by an average of 36.8-17.1 every game, they finished with a +19.7 point difference that ranks as the best of the last 65 years (topped by the 1942 Bears, but more on them later this week).
The previous best was right at the start of that era – +18.4 PPG, held by the nearly perfect 1968 Colts. They were 2nd in points scored, 1st in points allowed. They won 13 of 14 in the regular season, 11 by double digits. And they rolled through the postseason, beating Cleveland in the NFL title game 34-0.
Then Joe Namath happened.
Not only were the Jets representing the lowly AFL, they were playing the late-60s version of the perfect team. And yet they somehow beat the mighty Colts 16-7.
Does that nemesis exist for this year's super team? Time will tell.
Here is a list of all 24 teams of the Super Bowl Era that outscored their opponents by a 2-to-1 margin over the course of an entire season. These are, in other words, the most dominant teams in modern NFL history.
Fourteen of the 23 teams (not counting NE) made it to the Super Bowl, and 10 won it all. But an unlucky 13 were left wishing they could trade their regular-season success for one or two more wins in the playoffs. In other words, a dominant regular season won't be remembered if you don't win it all.
The last team to come close to the 2007 Patriots before the Super Bowl Era? That would be Vince Lombardi's 1962 Packers, who went 13-1 and scored 415 points (29.6 PPG) while surrendering a measley 145 (10.6 PPG), a difference of 19.0 PPG.
MOST DOMINANT TEAMS OF THE SUPER BOWL ERA
|
Team |
Record |
PF-PA |
PPG Difference |
Result |
| 2007 Patriots |
16-0 |
36.8-17.1 |
+19.7 |
????? |
|
1968 Balt. Colts |
13-1 |
28.7-10.3 |
+18.4 |
Lost SB III |
|
1999 Rams |
13-3 |
32.9-15.1 |
+17.8 |
Won SB XXXIV |
|
1969 Vikings |
12-2 |
27.1-9.5 |
+17.6 |
Lost SB IV |
|
1968 Cowboys |
12-2 |
30.8-13.3 |
+17.5 |
Lost div. round* |
|
1967 Raiders |
13-1 |
33.4-16.6 |
+16.8 |
Lost SB II |
|
1991 Redskins |
14-2 |
30.3-14.0 |
+16.3 |
Won SB XXVI |
|
1985 Bears |
15-1 |
28.5-12.4 |
+16.1 |
Won SB XX |
|
1984 49ers |
15-1 |
29.7-14.2 |
+15.5 |
Won SB XIX |
|
1996 Packers |
13-3 |
28.5-13.1 |
+15.4 |
Won SB XXXI |
|
1972 Dolphins |
14-0 |
27.5-12.2 |
+15.3 |
Won SB VII |
|
1973 L.A. Rams |
12-2 |
27.7-12.7 |
+15.0 |
Lost div. round |
|
1975 Steelers |
12-2 |
26.6-11.6 |
+15.0 |
Won SB X |
|
1976 Steelers |
10-4 |
24.4-9.9 |
+14.5 |
Lost AFC title |
|
1967 L.A. Rams |
11-1-2 |
28.4-14.0 |
+14.4 |
Lost div. round* |
|
1968 Chiefs |
12-2 |
26.5-12.1 |
+14.4 |
Lost div. round** |
|
1975 Vikings |
12-2 |
26.9-12.9 |
+14.0 |
Lost div. round |
|
1973 Dolphins |
12-2 |
24.5-10.7 |
+13.8 |
Won SB VIII |
|
1970 Vikings |
12-2 |
23.9-10.2 |
+13.7 |
Lost div. round |
|
1969 Chiefs |
11-3 |
25.6-12.6 |
+13.0 |
Won SB IV |
|
1975 L.A. Rams |
12-2 |
22.3-9.6 |
+12.7 |
Lost NFC title |
|
1971 Balt. Colts |
10-4 |
22.4-10.0 |
+12.4 |
Lost AFC title |
|
1966 Packers |
12-2 |
23.9-11.6 |
+12.3 |
Won SB I |
|
2000 Ravens |
12-4 |
20.8-10.3 |
+10.5 |
Won SB XXXV |
* In the pre-merger NFL, these teams lost what were then called the conference championships. However, these games were the equivalent of today’s divisional playoffs. The winners of the pre-merger “conference championships” would play for the NFL championship (the equivalent of today’s conference championship) and then the Super Bowl.
** The 1968 Chiefs finished in a tie with the Raiders atop the AFL’s Western Division. The two teams met in a one-game playoff to determine the division champion, who would then face the Eastern Division champion Jets for the AFL championship. The Raiders beat the Chiefs, 41-6.
