It’s the end of June, so you know full and well that list season is underway. We’re ranking everything we can get our hands on up in here. It’s pretty simple – this is the delusional spell of the football calendar. We’re all starved for unique football content, but there’s nothing going on right now! So, what better time to look back on the past and compile some historical lists like this?
My criteria for this was pretty simple: the eye test. I’m a big proponent of the eye test. Don’t get me wrong – I can dig into stats all day. But, when we look back on the past, we don’t tend So, I’m trying to approach this conversation from the perspective of a dude just sitting at the bar, pounding some brews, and shooting the shit. Feel free
Honorable Mention: The 2015 Broncos (15-4) – That defense was sick, and although Cam Newton played like shit in the Super Bowl anyway, they harassed the guy all day long. The Panthers quarterback is still fielding questions from that game – namely, kids at camp asking him if he sent Von Miller anything for Father’s Day. Ouch. That team would probably make the top five but the offense just couldn’t match the level of play of the defense. That was Peyton Manning’s last hoo-rah but he was largely ineffective. Still, a damn good football team.
Top Five NFL Teams of the Last Decade
5. 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers (15-4) – Kinda hurts to bring up these 2008 Steelers as a Titans fan, but hey – the show must go on. This was a damn good defense. It allowed just 13.9 points per game – that’s what got them to the Super Bowl, but it was the offense that stepped up and scored 27 in victory over the Arizona Cardinals. That Super Bowl featured not one, but two of the most iconic plays in NFL history. Santonio Holmes with the toe drag swag in the end zone to ultimately win the game was one. But, it was James Harrison’s 99-yard interception return for a touchdown that makes all the highlight packages.
4. 2009 New Orleans Saints (16-3) – The ’09 Saints had one of the most electric offenses in NFL history, averaging 31.9 points per game. They started 13-0 before dropping their last three games and causing a lot of doubt among analysts and fans alike. But, while the defense was far from a statistical beast, it was rather opportunistic. A lot of folks will remember Sean Payton rolling the dice and calling an onside kick to start the second half. These Saints scored an arousing 35.8 points per game in those first 13 wins. Truly amazing.
3. 2017 Philadelphia Eagles (16-3) – Last year’s Eagles team had a lot of grit, and it damn sure had a lot of soul. Before Carson Wentz went down with a season-ending injury, he was among the serious contenders for the league MVP honors. A lot of folks didn’t give the Eagles much of a chance without him, but Nick Foles stepped up admirably. Besides, this team was predicated on running the ball and playing stifling defense. The Eagles fielded the best run defense in the NFL last season. When it mattered most, this team found a way, defeating the New England Patriots in one of the greatest Super Bowls of all time.
2. 2016 New England Patriots (17-2) – Everyone remembers that dramatic comeback in the Super Bowl against the Atlanta Falcons, but people might not remember how consistently good this Pats team was throughout the entire season. They were basically on cruise control through the rest of the AFC. With the exception of an inexplicable 16-0 loss at the hands of the Buffalo Bills and a close 30-23 win over Baltimore, this Pats team basically dominated every opponent that season. They beat Houston in the divisional round 34-16 and Pittsburgh 36-17 in the AFC Championship, and the rest, as they say, is history.
1. 2013 Seattle Seahawks (16-3) – The regular season was a tad quiet for this team. Sure, the defense was good all year. But, man oh man, did they turn it on in the playoffs or what? When it mattered most, the Seahawks defense completely stunned, silenced, and otherwise shut down what was one of the greatest offenses in NFL history, that of the Denver Broncos. Led by the Legion of Boom in their prime, this defense stomped the Broncos to the tune of 43-8 en route to a Super Bowl title. At the time, we thought this team was poised to become an outright dynasty, and though they went to back-to-pack Super Bowls
What do you think? Hit the comments.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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