jobberone
Kane Ala
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Welcome to my attempt to rank the NFL franchises in the Super Bowl era.
Here's how it works: Started in 2001, I wanted a way to objectively quantify accomplishments for each of the 32 franchises. We give 1 point for each season a franchise makes the playoffs, 2 additional points when they make the league semi-finals (NFC/AFC Championship Games), 2 additional points for making a Super Bowl, and a massive 6 points for winning a Super Bowl. That means, the maximum points a team can gain from one great season is 11 points. It isn't a perfect system, but after 14 tries, it is as perfect as I can get.
Tiebreakers: There are no ties. Even if point totals are tied, I will figure out a tiebreaker and we start with Lombardi Trophies. If still tied, then Super Bowl appearances. If still tied, then Championship Games, and if still tied, then Playoff berths. We want it ranked 1-32 with no ties.
One final note: We have added "average pts per year" in the last 5 versions - so that we may determine results based on years in the league. 24 of the 32 teams have been here the entire span of the 50 years of Super Bowl football, but this metric will help put the other 8 teams: Saints '67, Bengals '68, Seahawks '76, Buccaneers '76, Jaguars '95, Panthers '95, Ravens '96, and Texans '02. Also, the Browns missed 96-98, so they only have 47 seasons to work with. So after Super Bowl 50, here are the Sturm NFL Franchise Rankings, Version 15:
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
Last year: #1
Total: 110 pts
In 2011, it finally happened. The Steelers are the number one franchise in the era. When Super Bowl 30 was completed, the Cowboys were at 101 and the Steelers were at 68 points. Well, since then, the Steelers have been the model of excellence for anyone not in New England, and the Cowboys have been, well, the Cowboys. Therefore, based on the tie breaking system, the Steelers took over as the current heavyweight leader in the Super Bowl era. The first time in years that the Cowboys have not held this post. Both teams missed the playoffs in 2012 and 2013. Then, in 2014, they both made the playoffs to earn a point. But, in 2015, the Steelers made the playoffs as a Wildcard and broke the tie at the top. Now at 110, they don't need to rely on a Super Bowl champion tiebreaker to stake their claim at the top.
Total Playoff Years:72C, 73, 74S, 75S, 76C, 77, 78S, 79S, 82, 83, 84C, 89, 92, 93, 94C, 95SL, 96, 97C, 01C, 02, 04C, 05S, 07, 08S, 10SL, 11, 14, 15
Playoff Years:28 | Final 4s:7 | Super Bowl Losses:2 | Super Bowl Wins:6
Average:2.20 points per season
2. Dallas Cowboys
Last year: #2
Total: 109 pts
Dallas has the most playoff appearances, the most Final 4s, and are tied with Pittsburgh for the most Super Bowl appearances. However, since 1996, they have a performance level that actually trails the Jacksonville Jaguars and is certainly a team that is getting by on reputation and history. They are far removed from where they once stood, and yet, they still can claim to have as many or more points than any other franchise. They were a dominant, dominant franchise for 30 years. So much so, that according to these numbers, the Cowboys had 101 points through the first 30 Super Bowls and just 8 points in the last 20. That equates to 3.3 points per season for the first 30 years and 0.40 per year in the 20 years since. 2014 may or may not have been a big tease with the massive revival, because 2015 was anything but. We shall see where the road leads next year.
Total Playoff Years:66C, 67C, 68, 69, 70SL, 71S, 72C, 73C, 75SL, 76, 77S, 78SL, 79, 80C, 81C, 82C, 83, 85, 91, 92S, 93S, 94C, 95S, 96, 98, 99, 03, 06, 07, 09, 14
Playoff Years: 31 | Final 4s: 8 | Super Bowl Losses:3 | Super Bowl Wins:5
Average:2.18 points per season
3. San Francisco 49ers
Last year: #3
Total: 96 pts
The 49ers remain in fine standing amongst the heavyweights but in this post Harbaugh era look like they are going to tear down and start over under new coach Chip Kelly with most of their decorated veterans no longer on the roster. Where they go with the new administration is anyone's guess, but their nice run of form in the last five years has put them safely in the Top 3 again, high above the field.
Total Playoff Years:70C, 71C, 72, 81S, 83C, 84S, 85, 86, 87, 88S, 89S, 90C, 92C, 93C, 94S, 95, 96, 97C, 98, 01, 02, 11C, 12SL, 13C
Playoff Years: 24 | Final 4s: 9 | Super Bowl Losses: 1 | Super Bowl Wins: 5
Average: 1.90 points per season
4. New England Patriots
Last year: #4
Total: 86 pts
The gold standard of this millennium, the Patriots show what a dominant decade can do to the overall view of your franchise. Think about what an after thought this team was in the first year of this exercise with a measly 17 points. Well, now they are secured in the Top 5 franchises of the Super Bowl era thanks to the fine work of turning out results on a regular basis in the Brady/Belichick era. Now, based almost entirely on the last 15 years, with another Super Bowl title last year and even another AFC Championship game in 2015, they have risen from the basement into the Top 4 (and closing fast on the Top 3) in a little more than a decade. Beyond phenomenal.
Total Playoff Years:76, 78, 82, 85SL, 86, 94, 96SL, 97, 98, 01S, 03S, 04S, 05, 06C, 07SL, 09, 10, 11SL, 12C, 13C, 14S, 15C
Playoff Years: 20 | Final 4s: 4 | Super Bowl Losses: 4 | Super Bowl Wins: 4
Average: 1.72 points per season
Continue reading...
Here's how it works: Started in 2001, I wanted a way to objectively quantify accomplishments for each of the 32 franchises. We give 1 point for each season a franchise makes the playoffs, 2 additional points when they make the league semi-finals (NFC/AFC Championship Games), 2 additional points for making a Super Bowl, and a massive 6 points for winning a Super Bowl. That means, the maximum points a team can gain from one great season is 11 points. It isn't a perfect system, but after 14 tries, it is as perfect as I can get.
Tiebreakers: There are no ties. Even if point totals are tied, I will figure out a tiebreaker and we start with Lombardi Trophies. If still tied, then Super Bowl appearances. If still tied, then Championship Games, and if still tied, then Playoff berths. We want it ranked 1-32 with no ties.
One final note: We have added "average pts per year" in the last 5 versions - so that we may determine results based on years in the league. 24 of the 32 teams have been here the entire span of the 50 years of Super Bowl football, but this metric will help put the other 8 teams: Saints '67, Bengals '68, Seahawks '76, Buccaneers '76, Jaguars '95, Panthers '95, Ravens '96, and Texans '02. Also, the Browns missed 96-98, so they only have 47 seasons to work with. So after Super Bowl 50, here are the Sturm NFL Franchise Rankings, Version 15:
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
Last year: #1
Total: 110 pts
In 2011, it finally happened. The Steelers are the number one franchise in the era. When Super Bowl 30 was completed, the Cowboys were at 101 and the Steelers were at 68 points. Well, since then, the Steelers have been the model of excellence for anyone not in New England, and the Cowboys have been, well, the Cowboys. Therefore, based on the tie breaking system, the Steelers took over as the current heavyweight leader in the Super Bowl era. The first time in years that the Cowboys have not held this post. Both teams missed the playoffs in 2012 and 2013. Then, in 2014, they both made the playoffs to earn a point. But, in 2015, the Steelers made the playoffs as a Wildcard and broke the tie at the top. Now at 110, they don't need to rely on a Super Bowl champion tiebreaker to stake their claim at the top.
Total Playoff Years:72C, 73, 74S, 75S, 76C, 77, 78S, 79S, 82, 83, 84C, 89, 92, 93, 94C, 95SL, 96, 97C, 01C, 02, 04C, 05S, 07, 08S, 10SL, 11, 14, 15
Playoff Years:28 | Final 4s:7 | Super Bowl Losses:2 | Super Bowl Wins:6
Average:2.20 points per season
2. Dallas Cowboys
Last year: #2
Total: 109 pts
Dallas has the most playoff appearances, the most Final 4s, and are tied with Pittsburgh for the most Super Bowl appearances. However, since 1996, they have a performance level that actually trails the Jacksonville Jaguars and is certainly a team that is getting by on reputation and history. They are far removed from where they once stood, and yet, they still can claim to have as many or more points than any other franchise. They were a dominant, dominant franchise for 30 years. So much so, that according to these numbers, the Cowboys had 101 points through the first 30 Super Bowls and just 8 points in the last 20. That equates to 3.3 points per season for the first 30 years and 0.40 per year in the 20 years since. 2014 may or may not have been a big tease with the massive revival, because 2015 was anything but. We shall see where the road leads next year.
Total Playoff Years:66C, 67C, 68, 69, 70SL, 71S, 72C, 73C, 75SL, 76, 77S, 78SL, 79, 80C, 81C, 82C, 83, 85, 91, 92S, 93S, 94C, 95S, 96, 98, 99, 03, 06, 07, 09, 14
Playoff Years: 31 | Final 4s: 8 | Super Bowl Losses:3 | Super Bowl Wins:5
Average:2.18 points per season
3. San Francisco 49ers
Last year: #3
Total: 96 pts
The 49ers remain in fine standing amongst the heavyweights but in this post Harbaugh era look like they are going to tear down and start over under new coach Chip Kelly with most of their decorated veterans no longer on the roster. Where they go with the new administration is anyone's guess, but their nice run of form in the last five years has put them safely in the Top 3 again, high above the field.
Total Playoff Years:70C, 71C, 72, 81S, 83C, 84S, 85, 86, 87, 88S, 89S, 90C, 92C, 93C, 94S, 95, 96, 97C, 98, 01, 02, 11C, 12SL, 13C
Playoff Years: 24 | Final 4s: 9 | Super Bowl Losses: 1 | Super Bowl Wins: 5
Average: 1.90 points per season
4. New England Patriots
Last year: #4
Total: 86 pts
The gold standard of this millennium, the Patriots show what a dominant decade can do to the overall view of your franchise. Think about what an after thought this team was in the first year of this exercise with a measly 17 points. Well, now they are secured in the Top 5 franchises of the Super Bowl era thanks to the fine work of turning out results on a regular basis in the Brady/Belichick era. Now, based almost entirely on the last 15 years, with another Super Bowl title last year and even another AFC Championship game in 2015, they have risen from the basement into the Top 4 (and closing fast on the Top 3) in a little more than a decade. Beyond phenomenal.
Total Playoff Years:76, 78, 82, 85SL, 86, 94, 96SL, 97, 98, 01S, 03S, 04S, 05, 06C, 07SL, 09, 10, 11SL, 12C, 13C, 14S, 15C
Playoff Years: 20 | Final 4s: 4 | Super Bowl Losses: 4 | Super Bowl Wins: 4
Average: 1.72 points per season
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