Which is the best single-season team in NFL history?

Agreed.

I would place the 1978 Steelers above the 76 edition. Didn't the 1976 Steelers start 1-3 before getting on a roll?

 

The Ravens and Bucs teams were also absolute hell to score against. I guess the offensive deficiencies were there, but the defenses were so good that it just didn't matter.

 

I wouldn't either, but they were my favorite champion. That was a great year with how much they overcame.

 

Interesting thing about the 78 steelers. They were considered the greatest of all time until the mid 1990s. Now they barely get mentioned. Mark was the first to bring them up and that was in reference to the 76 team.

Not voting them best, but just interesting.

 

The '89 49ers were so dominant in the postseason (against a weak-for-the-time NFC playoff field) that they overshadow what was probably an equally dominant team ... the '84 49ers.

They were 15-1 and manhandled a damn good Miami team in the Super Bowl. Montana, Tyler, Craig, Clark, et al. And a really good defense. No Rice, but still quality to give the '89 49ers more than a run.

There's a lot of what-might-have-been's. If Emmitt Smith doesn't hold out, the '93 Cowboys would've had a much-better overall record and higher single-season esteem. The '07 Patriots ... we all know what happened there.

There's other single-season teams I'd consider "great" in my time, some of whom didn't even make the Super Bowl or lost it. The '78 Steelers, the '83 Redskins, the '84 Dolphins, the '94 49ers, the '96 Packers, the '98 Vikings, the '04 Patriots, the '05 and '09 Colts, etc.

And fuck the '85 Bears.

 

The 2011 Broncos.

 

That's probably a whole other thread, but still an interesting list.
I'd throw the '99 Jaguars on there, too. Went 15-3, with all three losses to the Titans, and absolutely annihilated the Dolphins in the divisional round in Marino's last game. They might be one of the great "forgotten" teams of the past 20 years.

 

I consider the 78 Steelers the best Steeler team of all time. By that time, Terry Bradshaw had really developed as a quarterback who could win a game by himself and Noll let loose the reins a bit on the passing game, whereas in 74 and 75, the defense and running game really carried the team most of the year. By 78, Lynn Swann and John Stallworth and even TE Randy Grossman were more a part of the offense.

The defense might not have been quite as intimidating as the 75 version, but still pretty darn great with Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, LC Greenwood, Mel Blount, etc.

 

The 91 Redskins and 99 Rams!

 

The '99 Rams were the greatest WTF? team in history. Fun as hell to watch, too. Its all-time status is hurt by struggling to win the NFC title game and playing a relatively mediocre game in the Super Bowl.

The '86 Giants were really fucking good, too.

 

It still burns me up that NFL Network did this a few years back and came up with the '72 Dolphins.

 

The 91 Redskins were a pretty impressive offensive juggernaut. Mark Rypien had a career year and was Super Bowl MVP. Ark Monk, Ricky Sanders and Gary Clark all had big years receiving. Earnest Byner was more than adequate as a running back and the offensive line was probably the best in the league that year. Defense maybe slightly above average, not Hall of Fame caliber.