Final 2005 postseason quality standings

These are the final quality standings, including postseason games, for the 2005 playoff participants.

 

You'll notice some interesting differences between this list and the list of 2004 playoff participants. Namely, the 2005 elite were far more competitive than they were in 2004.

 

Even the worst team on our 2005 list, New England, boasted four wins over quality opponents, including one over the top team on the list, Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh. In 2004, seven playoff teams had three wins or fewer over quality opponents (five from the historically inept NFC). The 2004 Packers did not beat a single quality opponent all year.

 

In terms of point differential vs. quality opponents, Jacksonville was the worst playoff team in 2005 with a scoring differential of -4.6. In 2004, two teams, Seattle and Green Bay, had double-digit negative point differentials.

 

There was also less dominance at the top of the list last season. In 2004, New England boasted a 10-1 record (.909) vs. quality opponents. Pittsburgh was No. 2, with a 7-2 mark (.778). No team in 2005 was as dominant against quality opponents as New England and Pittsburgh were in 2004. 

 

(See 2005 final regular-season quality standings here.)

 

Team	W	L	Pct.	PF	PA	Differential
Pittsburgh	8	4	.667	22.7	18.25	+4.45
Denver	8	4	.667	22.5	19.75	+2.75
Indianapolis	5	3	.625	24.4	20.1	+4.3
Seattle	5	3	.625	20.0	16.9	+3.1
Carolina	5	5	.500	22.2	18.3	+3.9
Washington	6	6	.500	19.3	19.8	-0.5
Tampa Bay	4	4	.500	17.6	20.4	-2.8
Jacksonville	3	4	.429	14.7	19.3	-4.6
N.Y. Giants	4	6	.400	20.2	21.7	-1.5
Cincinnati	3	5	.375	23.6	26.1	-2.5
Chicago	3	5	.375	13.5	16.6	-3.1
New England	4	7	.364	21.1	23.3	-2.2

By Kerry Byrne