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Super Bowl champs vs. Quality Opponents
Cold, Hard Football Facts for February 17, 2007
As loyal readers of the Cold, Hard Football Facts are aware, we put a lot of stock in Quality Wins – how a team performs against opponents with winning records. We track these records each and every week throughout the season (our final regular-season Quality Standings can be found here).
As we noted after Super Bowl XLI, teams with the better record against quality competition posted a 10-1 record in the 2006 playoffs. It's the second time in our three-year history that teams with a superior mark against Quality Opponents posted a remarkable 10-1 record in postseason play.
The Colts were the class of the NFL in the 2006 regular season, with a 4-1 mark against Quality Opponents. Following their four postseason wins, they ended the year with an 8-1 mark against winning teams.
Only four Super Bowl champions have better records against quality competition. Here's how the Colts stack up historically:
|
Team |
Overall Record |
vs. Quality Opponents |
SB Result |
|
2003 Patriots |
17-2 |
10-0 (1.000) |
won XXXVIII |
|
1981 49ers |
16-3 |
6-0 (1.000) |
won XVI |
|
1972 Dolphins |
17-0 |
5-0 (1.000) |
won VII |
|
2004 Patriots |
17-2 |
10-1 (.909) |
won XXXIX |
|
1973 Dolphins |
15-2 |
8-1 (.889) |
won VIII |
|
1985 Bears |
18-1 |
8-1 (.889) |
won XX |
|
1986 Giants |
17-2 |
8-1 (.889) |
won XXI |
|
2006 Colts |
16-4 |
|
won XLI |
The 2004 Patriots, 2003 Patriots and 1979 Steelers are the only teams in NFL history to win 10 games against quality opponents in a single season. The 1979 Steelers went 10-3 against quality opponents, topping our list for games in a single season against teams with winning records. Numerous Super Bowl teams have played 11 games against quality opponents in a single season. Only four have played more than 11:
- 1979 Steelers (10-3, .769)
- 1986 Broncos (7-5, .583)
- 1992 Bills (8-4, .667)
- 2005 Steelers (8-4, .667)
|
SB (Season) |
Winner (Record) |
vs. Qual. Opp. |
Loser (Record) |
vs. Qual. Opp. |
|
V (1970) |
Baltimore (14-2-1) |
4-2 (.667) |
Dallas (12-5) |
4-5 (.444) |
|
VI (1971) |
Dallas (14-3) |
5-1 (.833) |
Miami (12-4-1) |
4-2 (.667) |
|
VII (1972) |
Miami (17-0) |
5-0 (1.000) |
Washington (13-4) |
6-2 (.750) |
|
VIII (1973) |
Miami (15-2) |
8-1 (.889) |
Minnesota (14-3) |
5-3 (.625) |
|
IX (1974) |
Pittsburgh (13-3-1) |
3-1-1 (.750) |
Minnesota (12-5) |
4-2 (.667) |
|
X (1975) |
Pittsburgh (15-2) |
7-2 (.778) |
Dallas (12-5) |
5-3 (.625) |
|
XI (1976) |
Oakland (16-1) |
7-1 (.857) |
Minnesota (13-3-1) |
3-2-1 (.600) |
|
XII (1977) |
Dallas (15-2) |
7-1 (.875) |
Denver (14-3) |
7-3 (.700) |
|
XIII (1978) |
Pittsburgh (17-2) |
7-2 (.778) |
Dallas (14-5) |
6-4 (.600) |
|
XIV (1979) |
Pittsburgh (15-4) |
10-3 (.769) |
L.A. Rams (11-8) |
4-6 (.400) |
|
XV (1980) |
Oakland (15-5) |
6-4 (.600) |
Philadelphia (14-5) |
5-4 (.556) |
|
XVI (1981) |
San Francisco (16-3) |
6-0 (1.000) |
Cincinnati (14-5) |
6-2 (.750) |
|
XVII (1982) |
Washington (12-1) |
6-1 (.857) |
Miami (10-3) |
6-3 (.667) |
|
XVIII (1983) |
L.A. Raiders (15-4) |
7-4 (.636) |
Washington (16-3) |
9-2 (.818) |
|
XIX (1984) |
San Francisco (18-1) |
7-1 (.875) |
Miami (16-3) |
8-2 (.800) |
|
XX (1985) |
Chicago (18-1) |
8-1 (.889) |
New England (14-6) |
5-5 (.500) |
|
XXI (1986) |
N.Y. Giants (17-2) |
8-1 (.889) |
Denver (13-6) |
7-5 (.583) |
|
XXII (1987) |
Washington (14-4) |
4-1 (.800) |
Denver (12-5-1) |
7-4 (.636) |
|
XXIII (1988) |
San Francisco (13-6) |
9-2 (.818) |
Cincinnati (14-5) |
7-4 (.636) |
|
XXIV (1989) |
San Francisco (17-2) |
9-2 (.818) |
Denver (13-6) |
7-4 (.636) |
|
XXV (1990) |
N.Y. Giants (16-3) |
7-3 (.700) |
Buffalo (15-4) |
6-4 (.600) |
|
XXVI (1991) |
Washington (17-2) |
9-2 (.818) |
Buffalo (15-4) |
4-3 (.571) |
|
XXVII (1992) |
Dallas (16-3) |
6-2 (.750) |
Buffalo (14-6) |
8-4 (.667) |
|
XXVIII (1993) |
Dallas (15-4) |
8-2 (.800) |
Buffalo (14-5) |
6-5 (.545) |
|
XXIX (1994) |
San Francisco (16-3) |
7-2 (.778) |
San Diego (13-6) |
6-4 (.600) |
|
XXX (1995) |
Dallas (15-4) |
8-2 (.800) |
Pittsburgh (13-6) |
5-3 (.625) |
|
XXXI (1996) |
Green Bay (16-3) |
7-3 (.700) |
New England (13-6) |
6-5 (.545) |
|
XXXII (1997) |
Denver (16-4) |
6-3 (.667) |
Green Bay (15-4) |
9-2 (.818) |
|
XXXIII (1998) |
Denver (17-2) |
6-1 (.857) |
Atlanta (16-3) |
5-3 (.625) |
|
XXXIV (1999) |
St. Louis (16-3) |
3-1 (.750) |
Tennessee (16-4) |
6-2 (.750) |
|
XXXV (2000) |
Baltimore (16-4) |
7-3 (.700) |
N.Y. Giants (14-5) |
5-4 (.556) |
|
XXXVI (2001) |
New England (14-5) |
5-3 (.625) |
St. Louis (16-3) |
8-2 (.800) |
|
XXXVII (2002) |
Tampa Bay (15-4) |
7-4 (.636) |
Oakland (13-6) |
8-3 (.727) |
|
XXXVIII (2003) |
New England (17-2) |
10-0 (1.000) |
Carolina (14-6) |
4-4 (.500) |
|
XXXVIII (2004) |
New England (17-2) |
10-1 (.909) |
Philadelphia (15-4) |
3-2 (.600) |
|
XL (2005) |
Pittsburgh (15-5) |
8-4 (.667) |
Seattle (15-4) |
5-3 (.625) |
|
XLI (2006) |
Indianapolis (16-4) |
8-1 (.889) |
Chicago (15-4) |
4-2 (.667) |
Only 4 of 36 teams that have won post-merger Super Bowls ended the postseason with a worse record against quality opponents than the team they vanquished in the championship. These four teams are:
- 1983 Raiders (7-4, .636) over Redskins (9-2, .818)
- 1997 Broncos (6-3, .667) over Packers (9-2, .818)
- 2001 Patriots (5-3, .625) over Rams (8-2, .800)
- 2002 Buccaneers (7-4, .636) over Raiders (8-3, .727)
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