Do you think there will ever be

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

The Broncos almost did it a couple of years ago, and it seems like there is usually a frontrunner each year. Do you think anyone will ever do it again? Furthermore, do you think it can be done this season?

[Guest Human Fly]

I voted for "It will never happen". Level of competition is too high for a team to run the table. One bad half, one fluke injury too many things can and do go wrong. I thought the Rams a few years ago had a chance, but then they fell apart.

 

I do however think it is very possible for a team to go winless.

[Guest hardyz1]

Yeah, I don't see the Bengals winning at all this year. Unless they play Houston, maybe.

[Guest Human Fly]

Yeah, I don't see the Bengals winning at all this year. Unless they play Houston, maybe.

 

Luckily for us (or maybe Houston) we do.

[Guest Leena]

I think there will be another perfect season eventually. Of course, it will take a lot of luck with injuries, and breaks at the right time. Look at the 2000 Ravens. If they were played the way they did at the end of the season all year, they would have been 19-0.. and they were completely 1-dimensional.

 

I think with the parody in the NFL due to free agency, it makes it easier. There used to be the really bad teams, and the really good teams, now everyone is so close. If 1 team gets all the breaks, and can form a dominant trait much like the Ravens, Vikings & Rams did, I can see a perfect season happening soon.

 

I don't see it happening this year, however.

[Guest razazteca]

Houston already has their token win over the Cowboys, as for the Bengals they will never win ever agian

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

That's parity sweetheart, not parody.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

I could see it happening...the Lion's could easily go 0-16 this year

[Guest Spaceman Spiff]

It will never happen again.

 

Over the course of 3-4 preseason games, 16 regular season games, 2 playoff games, and Super Bowl, that's ~23 games. Obviously, I'm not counting the preseason games, but there's always a good chance a team could lose a superstar to injury for all/most/good portion of the year in preseason.

 

With injuries, luck, weather, emotional ups & downs, it will be nearly impossible for a team to go undefeated.

 

And what makes the '72 Dolphins run even more amazing, they did it w/ their backup QB for a good 9 games or so.

[Guest Bricks]

I say it will happen. But it probably won't happen during my lifetime. But eventually one team will go undefeated throughout the whole season.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Bears, next season.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

I really thought the Broncos had a shot back in 1998, but they lost to the Giants. That was a game that had me torn. I'm a Giants fan and always want them to win, but I kind of wanted to see another team go undefeated.

 

The unbeaten:

Dolphins

Patriots

Chargers

Broncos

Panthers

Saints

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

It won't happen for awhile, but it will. The 1998 Vikings almost did it.

[Guest El Hijo Del Lunatic]

No way. You need to be an outstanding team with no weaknesses that plays in a weak division just to GET to 16-0. THEN you gotta win the Super Bowl. I'm sorry, but the divisions are just too tough top-to-bottom right now to think there's going to be another perfect team.

 

LUNATIC

- Pimpin' ho's and clockin' a grip like my name was Dolemite.

[Guest DrTom]

I voted for never happening again.

 

There's way too much player movement and salary issues for teams to build the dynasty that's required. An undefeated team doesn't just happen -- it evolves from a consistently strong team that gels over a few seasons. That's hard to build in the NFL these days. Look at the Ravens: one ring, another playoff season, then the salary cap bit them in the ass. Look at the Rams: they've kept their core players together, but they're off to an abysmal start. Way too much can go wrong in today's NFL for a team to go undefeated.

 

The 2000 Ravens were used as an example. Yes, they played incredibly well the last 2/3 of that season. The problem is, for the first 1/3 of it, Brian Billick had his head up his own ass, sticking with a head case QB and trying desperately to salvage his wholly undeserved reputation as an offensive genius. Only when Billick realized that defense was the key to the team's success -- and that Trent Dilfer was infinitely better than Tony Goddamn Banks -- did the team come together and go on their big run. THey had to learn a lot to get to that point, though. Of course, they broke up the formula the next season by jettisoning Dilfer for Elvis Shitty Grbac, but going into that anymore would get me off on a rant.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

The '85 Bears came close but got destroyed by the Dolphins with the '72 Miami team in attendance.

[Guest Spaceman Spiff]

The '85 Bears came close but got destroyed by the Dolphins with the '72 Miami team in attendance.

I always wondered what would have happened had the Dolphins made the SB that year. Could they pull off another win? Was it home-field advantage? What adjustments would both teams (esp. Da Bears) make?

 

Damn Patriots...

[Guest Vern Gagne]

The '85 Bears came close but got destroyed by the Dolphins with the '72 Miami team in attendance.

I always wondered what would have happened had the Dolphins made the SB that year. Could they pull off another win? Was it home-field advantage? What adjustments would both teams (esp. Da Bears) make?

 

Damn Patriots...

Good Question. The Bears weakness on defense was the secondary which Marino took advantage of. The Bears might of had to use a nickleback more often if they played Miami.

[Guest Leena]

There's way too much player movement and salary issues for teams to build the dynasty that's required. An undefeated team doesn't just happen -- it evolves from a consistently strong team that gels over a few seasons. That's hard to build in the NFL these days. Look at the Ravens: one ring, another playoff season, then the salary cap bit them in the ass. Look at the Rams: they've kept their core players together, but they're off to an abysmal start. Way too much can go wrong in today's NFL for a team to go undefeated.

 

But, the Rams Super Bowl victories did evolve from gelling in just one season. Tony Goddamn Banks was the starter in '98 over Kurt Warner, and Trent Green was supposed to be the starter in '99 for the Rams. They signed Marshall Faulk, got lucky with Holt and Warner, and had no injuries on an average defense.

 

The Rams were I think like 7 points from being undefeated with that. That's why I think it's very possible for another team to go undefeated. Look at the NFC this year. Is there any team that looks better than mediocre this year? If one team gets lucky next year, it could happen.

 

The Ravens' defense was built up over a few years, but nobody expected them to be as dominating as they were in 2000. I have to think that the Ravens' management didn't think they could be good considering the only offensive "talent" they brought in was Lewis, washed-up Sam Gash, and Dilfer out of "anyone but Tony Goddamn Banks" desperation.

[Guest DragonflyKid]

I think that if a team is undefeated late in the season they probably will have clinched a playoff spot and even home-field advantage thus they are more apt to rest their best players in the final regular season games and be open to defeat.

 

I can see it happening eventually but due to many factors it's very unlikely. There have been dominant teams recently that were so good that an undefeated season didn't seem impossible.

[Guest The Czech Republic]

The Bears would've done it this year but N'Awlins done fucked it up.

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

Probability says it HAS to happen eventually.

 

Fo sheez,

Kotzenjunge

[Guest The Czech Republic]

It'll happen even quicker if they dump the salary cap. Something like "really freaking quick."

[Guest El Satanico]

It will probably happen at some point but it would be alot harder for a team to do it now.

 

It won't happen this year. The only currently undefeated team this year that could go undefeated is the Patriots. Patriots are the only team that's equally good on defense and offense which you'd need to go undefeated.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

Let me ask this question: out of the unbeaten teams, who do you think will stay undefeated the longest?

[Guest Chuck Woolery]

Saints.

[Guest El Satanico]

I'd say Patriots will be undefeated the longest this year.

[Guest DrTom]

But, the Rams Super Bowl victories did evolve from gelling in just one season. Tony Goddamn Banks was the starter in '98 over Kurt Warner, and Trent Green was supposed to be the starter in '99 for the Rams. They signed Marshall Faulk, got lucky with Holt and Warner, and had no injuries on an average defense.

There you go: "got lucky." They did, in a respect. That doesn't happen often in today's NFL. The game rewards teams that make shrewd personnel moves, that scout well, and that draft well. Not that the Rams didn't do any of those things, but who knew Warner would turn into such a superstar? None of us did, but the Rams obviously knew something about him if they dragged him out of a grocery store to play for them. Faulk was a known commodity and a good locker room presence, and he happened to fit perfectly in the offensive scheme. They made their own luck in those areas. The rest of their team, including the offensive line and the defense, was a pretty intact unit, though, so there was some gelling going on, even during the era of Tony Goddamn Banks.

 

Look at the NFC this year. Is there any team that looks better than mediocre this year?

Yes. Two, actually: New Orleans and Philadelphia. The Saints have a great young QB, a great young RB, good talent at WR, a good line, and a good defense. The Eagles don't have quite the strength at RB or the depth of quality at WR, but their D is at least as good, and Donovan McNabb is Aaron Brooks with more experience.

 

The Ravens' defense was built up over a few years, but nobody expected them to be as dominating as they were in 2000.

Actually, they were gearing up for a two-year run at the top in 2000-2001. That's why they're in such salary cap hell this year: they sold their souls to try and have two really good years. At least they got half their wish. The Ravens drafted exceptionally well since coming to Baltimore, especially on defense, and few people were surprised when our D was the best in the league. We could see it coming. We could see the defense starting to gel around their obvious leader, Ray Lewis. Once Billick put his ego aside and allowed the team to lean on its defense, they went all the way. I like Billick, but I think he's done as much harm to the team as he's done good.

[Guest El Hijo Del Lunatic]

The '85 Bears came close but got destroyed by the Dolphins with the '72 Miami team in attendance.

 

38-24 isn't exactly "destroyed". Besides, have you ever SEEN that game? That was karma, I tells ya. Absolute karma. Balls bouncing into Dolphin receivers' hands and stuff. And the '85 Bears are probably one of the best top-to-bottom teams ever assembled. They were prototypical: play great defense, pound the ball with the running game, and take your shots downfield. I don't know if there's ever been a more complete team, at least in the 16-game era of the NFL (which is from '78 onward).

 

Good Question. The Bears weakness on defense was the secondary which Marino took advantage of. The Bears might of had to use a nickleback more often if they played Miami.

 

Sure, but that was their weakness in the same way that the Bears' secondary is their weakness now - opportunistic but prone to give up lots of yards. They had 34 INTs that year, which led the league.

 

The Rams were I think like 7 points from being undefeated with that. That's why I think it's very possible for another team to go undefeated. Look at the NFC this year. Is there any team that looks better than mediocre this year? If one team gets lucky next year, it could happen.

 

You're talking Notre Dame lucky, though. I understand that there aren't a bunch of teams that stand out as being head-and-shoulders above everybody else right now, but that doesn't mean there are tons of teams that STINK (tm Tony Kornheiser) out there. Everyone's about equal. And that means you not only have to be good for 16 straight games, but you gotta be lucky for 16 straight games too. And nobody can be that lucky for that long, especially once a team gets to 12-0 and the reporters start breathing down their necks for real.

 

Probability says it HAS to happen eventually.

 

Well, let's see ... 1 in every ... 873 teams since the merger have done it. That's a .1145% chance of it happening again.

 

Unfortunately, that's not how probability works. For probability to work, we have to assume that winning is purely random, and that the odds of winning are 50%. Now, the chances that a team would win 16 games would be equal to (.50)^16, or .001525%. Roughly translated, that means that 1 out of every 65,536 teams will go unbeaten, and at 32 teams a season, that means there will be one unbeaten for every 2048 YEARS that the NFL is played.

 

Don't fuck with the actuary-in-training.

 

Let me ask this question: out of the unbeaten teams, who do you think will stay undefeated the longest?

 

Probably the Saints, though the Patriots are the better team. The Saints have a weaker schedule.

 

Once Billick put his ego aside and allowed the team to lean on its defense, they went all the way. I like Billick, but I think he's done as much harm to the team as he's done good.

 

Hey, at least Brian Billik is a coach that acutally changed his thinking to suit his team. That's something that DOES NOT happen anymore in the league of egomaniacal coaches. Most guys won't bend themselves at all (and though I know it took Billick some time to learn humility, there are a few guys who probably will never learn it, like your boy across the Potomac.

 

LUNATIC

- Pimpin' ho's and clockin' a grip like my name was Dolemite.

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

Hey, even if it's every 2048 years, I was still right.

 

Fo sheez,

Kotzenjunge