By JJFmissing keyR
Published: November 15, 2008 PrintEmail
Almost 2 years ago, yours truly developed a system for measuring the strength of NFL organizations during this current decade. Here is an excerpt from that article and an explanation of the system:
“So how is the first decade of the new century shaping up for each team in the NFL, I asked myself……….we ALL know that this will go down in history as the Patriot’s decade unless one of the other teams can rack up 3 SB victories by the end of the decade to give us something to debate. So, where does each team stand as we near the end of the 00’s ?
I could have just made some notes on each team about how I thought their decade was going……….but what’s the fun in that ? This requires a power ranking supported by a formula, right ? (collective ‘ugh’ from PSH is heard loud and clear—but that still won’t stop me)……….
So, here it is………..the power ranking for the DECADE !! Which teams have had a good decade? Which teams haven’t?
Years For Ranking: Starting with the 2000 regular season through the 2007 Super Bowl
Variables:
#1) Regular season victories: 1 victory = 1 point #2) Each Playoff Berth: Add 10 points #3) Each Division Championship: Add 15 points #4) Each Conference Championship: Add 20 points #5) Each Super Bowl Championship: Add 50 points #6) Each season with 4 or less victories: Deduct 10 points
Let me explain why each variable was included. Victories, playoff berths, division championships, and conference championships all add to the ‘tradition’ and legacy of an organization. I felt these all needed to be factors in the rankings. Obviously the goal of every team is to ‘win it all’ so I emphasized the importance of a Super Bowl victory by adding the most points to a team’s total with a Super Bowl victory.
When analyzing the ‘lower tier’ teams, I decided that the best variable to use to distinguish the “Redskins” of the world, who usually hover around .500 at least, with the “Texans” of the world, other than regular season victories, was to deduct points for any season in which the team only finished with 1, 2, 3, or 4 victories. These types of years are hard to endure for any organization. For the fans, the coaches, and the media. These types of seasons can affect the tradition and legacy of a team or coach and it obviously deflates the pride their fans have in their team.”
Unanimously, everyone here at PSH determined that this was the most brilliant system of measuring organizational strength. A lot has happened since the last time I compiled this list, though. New England went 16-0. The Giants won the Super Bowl and are having another great year this season. The Rams and Raiders continue to fall off the map after being strong organizations early in the decade.
So, where are we now? I have updated the point totals for your viewing pleasure through week 10 of this season. These totals do not include Thursday night’s game for equality purposes.
1) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 477 points
6 Division championships, 3 Super Bowl Victories, and a 16-0 season in 8 years. They hold a commanding lead as the team of the decade.
2) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 309 Points
7 playoff trips in 8 years and a Super Bowl win. Do they have anything else to add to a great decade?
3) PITTSBURGH STEELERS 268.5 Points
Consistent winning and a Super Bowl win. Even a coaching change has not stopped the winning for this organization.
4) PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 243 points
A mediocre season and a half recently drops the Eagles into 4th, but they remain ahead of a few Super Bowl winning organizations. They still have 5 division championships this decade.
5) NEW YORK GIANTS 236 Points
5 Playoff Berths and now a Super Bowl championship this decade. They have risen 6 spots in these rankings over the last season and a half. Do they have more rising yet to accomplish in the rankings this decade?
6) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 228 Points
Another division title last year keeps them high in the rankings and they don’t seem to be going away this year either.
7) BALTIMORE RAVENS 218 Points
Another Super Bowl winner this decade along with 78 regular season victories and 4 playoff berths.
8) SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 205 Points
They’re obviously not the NFC power they once were but, overall, their decade has been solid.
9) GREEN BAY PACKERS 182 Points
Strong early in the decade and then again last year.
10) CHICAGO BEARS 155 Points
The other dominant NFC North team of this decade.
11) ST. LOUIS RAMS 150 Points
They have really fallen apart the last season and a half.
12) TENNESSEE TITANS 139 Points
Early decade success and again recently puts this team near the top 10.
13) DENVER BRONCOS 137 Points
Competitive but only 1 division championship the entire decade.
14) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 123 Points
They weren’t very good early in the decade but had a few good years recently.
15) DALLAS COWBOYS 112 Points
Last year’s division title was their first of the 00’s.
16) CAROLINA PANTHERS 111 Points
After a bad stretch, could they be returning to prominence?
17) OAKLAND RAIDERS 109 Points
It’s amazing to think this team was in a Super Bowl not too long ago. 18) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 106 Points
They’re usually pretty competitive. 2 division titles this decade.
19) NEW YORK JETS 103 Points
4 playoff berths this decade. Could another one, along with a division title, come this season?
20) MINNESOTA VIKINGS 102 Points
Haven’t done much of anything this decade.
21) KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 90 Points
Once proud organization hasn’t won a playoff game in forever ……
22) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 88 Points
Playing so inconsistently year in and year out makes you wonder what this decade COULD have been ……
23) WASHINGTON REDSKINS 84 Points
Last year was only their 2nd playoff berth of the decade. Can they make it #3 this season?
24) MIAMI DOLPHINS 81 Points
Last season’s 1-15 record hurt them badly in these rankings.
25) ATLANTA FALCONS 76.5 Points
Can they get their 3rd playoff berth of the decade this season?
26)SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 70 Points
Their division title earlier this decade seems like a lifetime away.
27) CINCINNATI BENGALS 60 Points
Things started to look up for a while but now they’ve gone back to being the Bengals.
28) BUFFALO BILLS 48 Points
There is a good foundation getting built in Buffalo but it’s easy to do with so many high draft picks this decade.
29) CLEVELAND BROWNS 31 Points
Last year was the only year this team created any excitement since returning to the league.
30) ARIZONA CARDINALS 29 Points
Their fortunes seem to be changing. An almost assured playoff berth and division title will get this team out of the cellar after this season.
31) HOUSTON TEXANS 24.6 Points
Adjustments have been made to their point total since they joined the league after the decade started. The adjustments still didn’t help this poor organization, though. At least they’re better than the Lions.
32) DETROIT LIONS 10 Points
Could this organization add an 0-16 season to their resume of the 00’s?
