CFZ Last Decade: Being NFC 1 Seed has not produced many SB winners

[LovinItAll]

Here’s an interesting fact: In the last ten years, the team earning the #1 NFC seed in the playoffs has only won the SB two times. Three other times the NFC’s #1 seed has made it to the SB and lost. So 50% of the time the last decade an NFC #1 seed has made it to a SB. Only 20% of the time has that team won a Lombardi.

Here are the NFC #1 seeds the last decade and how they fared:

• 2012- Atlanta was the #1 NFC seed- they lost in the NFC championship game to SF.
• 2013- Seattle was #1 NFC seed and won the SB.
• 2014- Seattle was #1 NFC seed- won NFC championship but lost SB to New England.
• 2015- Carolina was the #1 NFC seed- won NFC championship but lost SB to Denver.
• 2016- Dallas was #1 NFC seed- lost in divisional round to #4 seed GB.
• 2017- Filly was NFC #1 seed and won the SB.
• 2018- New Orleans was #1 seed in NFC- lost in NFC championship to #2 seed rams.
• 2019- SF was the #1 NFC seed and won NFC championship but lost SB to KC.
• 2020- GB was #1 NFC seed- lost in the NFC championship game to eventual SB champ Tampa Bay who was the #5 seed.
• 2021- GB again had top seed but lost in divisional round to #5 seed SF.

Sure it would be nice to get the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs this year. We still have a shot. But having it doesn’t mean as much as we used to think.

Getting to the SB as the #1 seed 50% of the time is very strong. Not sure where you came up with ‘Doesn’t mean as much as we used to thinkz’.

 

[Flamma]

How is this a bad thing? #1 seed goes to the Super Bowl 50% of the time out of a field of 8 teams. I’ll take those odds. In that same 10 year span how often has the wild card team went to and or won the Super Bowl? If I’m correct 1 the 2018 Eagles.

You mean the 2020 Bucs. The 2017 Eagles weren't a wildcard. The 2018 Eagles didn't get to the SB.

 

[BigCowboysHomer]

Instead of bolding just the Super Bowl winners, how about also bolding the NFC #1 seeds that won the NFC Championship Game and went to the Super Bowl, or made an appearance in the NFC Championship Game, something the Cowboys have failed to do for 26 years.

• 2012- Atlanta was the #1 NFC seed- they lost in the NFC championship game to SF.
• 2013- Seattle was #1 NFC seed and won the SB.
• 2014- Seattle was #1 NFC seed- won NFC championship but lost SB to New England.
• 2015- Carolina was the #1 NFC seed- won NFC championship but lost SB to Denver.
• 2016- Dallas was #1 NFC seed- lost in divisional round to #4 seed GB.
• 2017- Filly was NFC #1 seed and won the SB.
• 2018- New Orleans was #1 seed in NFC- lost in NFC championship to #2 seed rams.
• 2019- SF was the #1 NFC seed and won NFC championship but lost SB to KC.
• 2020- GB was #1 NFC seed- lost in the NFC championship game to eventual SB champ Tampa Bay who was the #5 seed.
• 2021- GB again had top seed but lost in divisional round to #5 seed SF.

So out of the 10 listed NFC #1 seeds, 8 made it to the NFC Championship Game, 5 made it to the Super Bowl, and 2 won the Super Bowl.

Looks like being the #1 NFC seed is a good thing.

 

[tyke1doe]

If we don't win out, I hope we go on the road and wear our blue jerseys every time.
In fact, I hope we have to go on the road. I fear the circus atmosphere of playing at home. I think being road dawgs will focus us a bit more. If we're underdogs, that may be a good thing.

 

[Cowboys1966]

Ok…but this thread is about the last decade…not all time.
First two words in title: “Last decade…”

Yours is a statistical anomaly… And that’s fine, yes it’s true have been a lot of #1 upsets in the NFC for the last 10 years…But overall it’s better to be the number 1 seed… Better by quite a bit…

 

[Cowboys1966]

...wow, so in bigger sense, its almost bad luck..lol.. How wierd.

There's no positive parlay to getting #1 seed. According to recent years.

But of course, that’s foolishness. You can pick arbitrary time ranges to support that argument, but looking at everything shows that it’s not really legitimate.

 

[Risen Star]

If we don't win out, I hope we go on the road and wear our blue jerseys every time.
In fact, I hope we have to go on the road. I fear the circus atmosphere of playing at home. I think being road dawgs will focus us a bit more. If we're underdogs, that may be a good thing.

No. You don't give your opponent home field advantage.

 

[Risen Star]

Instead of bolding just the Super Bowl winners, how about also bolding the NFC #1 seeds that won the NFC Championship Game and went to the Super Bowl, or made an appearance in the NFC Championship Game, something the Cowboys have failed to do for 26 years.

• 2012- Atlanta was the #1 NFC seed- they lost in the NFC championship game to SF.
• 2013- Seattle was #1 NFC seed and won the SB.
• 2014- Seattle was #1 NFC seed- won NFC championship but lost SB to New England.
• 2015- Carolina was the #1 NFC seed- won NFC championship but lost SB to Denver.
• 2016- Dallas was #1 NFC seed- lost in divisional round to #4 seed GB.
• 2017- Filly was NFC #1 seed and won the SB.
• 2018- New Orleans was #1 seed in NFC- lost in NFC championship to #2 seed rams.
• 2019- SF was the #1 NFC seed and won NFC championship but lost SB to KC.
• 2020- GB was #1 NFC seed- lost in the NFC championship game to eventual SB champ Tampa Bay who was the #5 seed.
• 2021- GB again had top seed but lost in divisional round to #5 seed SF.

So out of the 10 listed NFC #1 seeds, 8 made it to the NFC Championship Game, 5 made it to the Super Bowl, and 2 won the Super Bowl.

Looks like being the #1 NFC seed is a good thing.

Yeah I think this just proves how meaningful it is to be the 1 seed.

Which will be the Eagles this year.

 

[tyke1doe]

No. You don't give your opponent home field advantage.

I mean, I'll take it if it's available.
But the last two times we had home field advantage we were one and done.
I'm up for a change.

 

[Cowboys1966]

Yeah I think this just proves how meaningful it is to be the 1 seed.

Which will be the Eagles this year.

Probably. Not for sure. Giants play them tough.

 

[Bobhaze]

Yours is a statistical anomaly… And that’s fine, yes it’s true have been a lot of #1 upsets in the NFC for the last 10 years…But overall it’s better to be the number 1 seed… Better by quite a bit…

The reason I showed the last ten years is the last ten years show a trend. Three of the last four SB winners weren’t #1 seeds and I think it’s because the league has much more parity between teams as the owners have always wanted.

I never said it was “bad” to be the #1 seed. I’m just pointing out there has been a clear trend the last ten years.

 

[Cowboys1966]

The reason I showed the last ten years is the last ten years show a trend. Three of the last four SB winners weren’t #1 seeds and I think it’s because the league has much more parity between teams as the owners have always wanted.

I never said it was “bad” to be the #1 seed. I’m just pointing out there has been a clear trend the last ten years.

Fair enough. Some of the other posters seem to be saying it’s bad though.

 

[Reid1boys]

Here’s an interesting fact: In the last ten years, the team earning the #1 NFC seed in the playoffs has only won the SB two times. Three other times the NFC’s #1 seed has made it to the SB and lost. So 50% of the time the last decade an NFC #1 seed has made it to a SB. Only 20% of the time has that team won a Lombardi.

Here are the NFC #1 seeds the last decade and how they fared:

• 2012- Atlanta was the #1 NFC seed- they lost in the NFC championship game to SF.
• 2013- Seattle was #1 NFC seed and won the SB.
• 2014- Seattle was #1 NFC seed- won NFC championship but lost SB to New England.
• 2015- Carolina was the #1 NFC seed- won NFC championship but lost SB to Denver.
• 2016- Dallas was #1 NFC seed- lost in divisional round to #4 seed GB.
• 2017- Filly was NFC #1 seed and won the SB.
• 2018- New Orleans was #1 seed in NFC- lost in NFC championship to #2 seed rams.
• 2019- SF was the #1 NFC seed and won NFC championship but lost SB to KC.
• 2020- GB was #1 NFC seed- lost in the NFC championship game to eventual SB champ Tampa Bay who was the #5 seed.
• 2021- GB again had top seed but lost in divisional round to #5 seed SF.

Sure it would be nice to get the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs this year. We still have a shot. But having it doesn’t mean as much as we used to think.

We are old enough to remember when the 1 or 2 seed routinely reached the big game. Then...... the salary cap happened. Now, being number 1 means nothing. Look at last season and all of those games decided in the final minute. Yep... the salary cap works, and it works very well.

 

[Reid1boys]

I never thought the word luck, and the NFL went together. But now with part-time, referees, illnesses, young players. I think it’s like 10% of the game in my opinion. Yep you need a little bit of luck to go to the Super Bowl today wasn’t Patrick Mahomes supposed to have five rings by now. Luck is not on their side. We definitely have a shot, go, Cowboys I believe in positive wavelengths lol.

you think the Vikings didnt get lucky a few weeks back against the Bills?

 

[dargonking999]

What that shows is that us and the packers are the only two number 1 seeds in the last ten years to not even win a game as the number 1 seed in the nfc.

 

[Jake]

Here’s an interesting fact: In the last ten years, the team earning the #1 NFC seed in the playoffs has only won the SB two times. Three other times the NFC’s #1 seed has made it to the SB and lost. So 50% of the time the last decade an NFC #1 seed has made it to a SB. Only 20% of the time has that team won a Lombardi.

Here are the NFC #1 seeds the last decade and how they fared:

• 2012- Atlanta was the #1 NFC seed- they lost in the NFC championship game to SF.
• 2013- Seattle was #1 NFC seed and won the SB.
• 2014- Seattle was #1 NFC seed- won NFC championship but lost SB to New England.
• 2015- Carolina was the #1 NFC seed- won NFC championship but lost SB to Denver.
• 2016- Dallas was #1 NFC seed- lost in divisional round to #4 seed GB.
• 2017- Filly was NFC #1 seed and won the SB.
• 2018- New Orleans was #1 seed in NFC- lost in NFC championship to #2 seed rams.

Let's not forget how the 2018 Saints "lost" to the Rams. This not being called PI in the last minute cost us all a chance to see a Brees-Brady SB. I would've liked to have seen it.

 

[john van brocklin]

Here’s an interesting fact: In the last ten years, the team earning the #1 NFC seed in the playoffs has only won the SB two times. Three other times the NFC’s #1 seed has made it to the SB and lost. So 50% of the time the last decade an NFC #1 seed has made it to a SB. Only 20% of the time has that team won a Lombardi.

Here are the NFC #1 seeds the last decade and how they fared:

• 2012- Atlanta was the #1 NFC seed- they lost in the NFC championship game to SF.
• 2013- Seattle was #1 NFC seed and won the SB.
• 2014- Seattle was #1 NFC seed- won NFC championship but lost SB to New England.
• 2015- Carolina was the #1 NFC seed- won NFC championship but lost SB to Denver.
• 2016- Dallas was #1 NFC seed- lost in divisional round to #4 seed GB.
• 2017- Filly was NFC #1 seed and won the SB.
• 2018- New Orleans was #1 seed in NFC- lost in NFC championship to #2 seed rams.
• 2019- SF was the #1 NFC seed and won NFC championship but lost SB to KC.
• 2020- GB was #1 NFC seed- lost in the NFC championship game to eventual SB champ Tampa Bay who was the #5 seed.
• 2021- GB again had top seed but lost in divisional round to #5 seed SF.

Sure it would be nice to get the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs this year. We still have a shot. But having it doesn’t mean as much as we used to think.

Good research Bob
We had the number one seed and lost to the Giants a few years earlier with Romo ?

 

[Jarntt]

Here’s an interesting fact: In the last ten years, the team earning the #1 NFC seed in the playoffs has only won the SB two times. Three other times the NFC’s #1 seed has made it to the SB and lost. So 50% of the time the last decade an NFC #1 seed has made it to a SB. Only 20% of the time has that team won a Lombardi.

Here are the NFC #1 seeds the last decade and how they fared:

• 2012- Atlanta was the #1 NFC seed- they lost in the NFC championship game to SF.
• 2013- Seattle was #1 NFC seed and won the SB.
• 2014- Seattle was #1 NFC seed- won NFC championship but lost SB to New England.
• 2015- Carolina was the #1 NFC seed- won NFC championship but lost SB to Denver.
• 2016- Dallas was #1 NFC seed- lost in divisional round to #4 seed GB.
• 2017- Filly was NFC #1 seed and won the SB.
• 2018- New Orleans was #1 seed in NFC- lost in NFC championship to #2 seed rams.
• 2019- SF was the #1 NFC seed and won NFC championship but lost SB to KC.
• 2020- GB was #1 NFC seed- lost in the NFC championship game to eventual SB champ Tampa Bay who was the #5 seed.
• 2021- GB again had top seed but lost in divisional round to #5 seed SF.

Sure it would be nice to get the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs this year. We still have a shot. But having it doesn’t mean as much as we used to think.

Thanks for doing the leg work and posting. Actually thats Better success than I would have guessed. Lots of NFC Championship games. Except for us of course

 

[Bobhaze]

Let's not forget how the 2018 Saints "lost" to the Rams. This not being called PI in the last minute cost us all a chance to see a Brees-Brady SB. I would've liked to have seen it.

Great point. And the NFL admitted it was a blown call, then instituted a “system” to review pass interference calls. Which the following year resulted in almost zero changed calls. Then the next year it gets dropped.

This is exactly why when I hear any absurd “conspiracy” stories about the NFL working together to keep Dallas out of a SB, I remember how this league can’t even define what a catch is or when to call PI. How in the world could they possibly hold some conspiracy against the Cowboys together? It’s laughable.

 

[plasticman]

Being the hot team coming out of the regular season is far more relevant than seeding.

It's all about building and sustaining momentum.