The best, and the worst, 3rd-seed team of the ’90s

[74_75_78_79_]

Here are the ones to pick from...

’90 - Bengals, Bears
’91 - Oilers, Saints
’92 - Chargers, Vikings
’93 - Chiefs, Lions
’94 - Dolphins, Vikings
’95 - Bills, Packers
’96 - Steelers, Cowboys
’97 - Patriots, Giants
’98 - Jaguars, Cowboys
’99 - Seahawks, Redskins

Not a single SB-participant in the bunch! And just two teams total who made it to a CCG!

[7DnBrnc53]

For the worst, my three main candidates would be the two teams from 1990 (Bears, Bengals) and the 1997 Giants.

1990 Bears: They had six Pro-Bowlers, but they really didn't have a lot of weapons (Brad Muster, a FB, led the team in catches with 47). The NFC Central fell apart that year, and the Bears had four wins by seven points or less (they were also 1-3 against teams that finished the season above .500).

1990 Bengals: Four Pro Bowlers, only one on defense. They finished 19th in points allowed, 25th in yards allowed, and only had 25 sacks. Five of their wins were by seven points or less, and they were 3-4 against above .500 teams. Also, they were getting ready to go 3-13 the next year.

1997 Giants: 21st in points scored, 27th in total yards gained. Two Pro Bowlers (both on D-Michael Strahan and Jessie Armstead). Terrible QB play between Danger Dave Brown and Danny Kanell (71.1 and 70.7 ratings respectively). FB Charles Way was the leading rusher with only 698 yards. Chris Calloway was the leading receiver with 58 catches (Way was second with 37. No other wideout and no TE had more than 21). They were 2-2-1 against teams that finished above .500.

[ChrisBabcock]

Upon first glance, 1992 Chargers and 1995 Packers pop out at me as candidates for the top of this list. Those Chargers really went on a tear after their initial 0-4 start. And I'd consider '95 Favre's first season of greatness. First of 3 straight seasons leading the league in TD passes.

[74_75_78_79_]

For the worst, my three main candidates would be the two teams from 1990 (Bears, Bengals) and the 1997 Giants.

1990 Bears: They had six Pro-Bowlers, but they really didn't have a lot of weapons (Brad Muster, a FB, led the team in catches with 47). The NFC Central fell apart that year, and the Bears had four wins by seven points or less (they were also 1-3 against teams that finished the season above .500).

1990 Bengals: Four Pro Bowlers, only one on defense. They finished 19th in points allowed, 25th in yards allowed, and only had 25 sacks. Five of their wins were by seven points or less, and they were 3-4 against above .500 teams. Also, they were getting ready to go 3-13 the next year.

1997 Giants: 21st in points scored, 27th in total yards gained. Two Pro Bowlers (both on D-Michael Strahan and Jessie Armstead). Terrible QB play between Danger Dave Brown and Danny Kanell (71.1 and 70.7 ratings respectively). FB Charles Way was the leading rusher with only 698 yards. Chris Calloway was the leading receiver with 58 catches (Way was second with 37. No other wideout and no TE had more than 21). They were 2-2-1 against teams that finished above .500.

The '99 Seahawks can be a viable candidate being how they collapsed into their 3rd-seed/division-title finish by going from 8-2 to 9-7! And then losing yet again, and at home, to an also collapsing 9-7 team who would lose 62-7 the following week! However, the '90 Bears will be my pick for worst on this list. In addition to reasons you give, 7Dn, they also collapsed (9-1 to 11-5). That only win vs an above-500 team was in the season opener at home against a 9-7 non-playoff qualifier. Every team in their division finished 6-10, two of them (Vikings & Lions) each handing them a convincing loss down that stretch. They unspectacularly beat an 8-8 Saints team in the 1st-Rd, and then the paper-tiger status is truly reinforced in that 31-3 drubbing at Meadowlands the following week!

'90 Bengals? They're definitely off the schnide with me. Yes, a 3-13 season (and a decade and a half of futility) to come, but just one year removed from being a real dangerous team that just missed the playoffs and, of course, just two years removed from SBXXIII. Cincy gave SF yet another good game in '90 by carrying them into OT (adding more to the 'what-if' dangerous Bengals make playoffs in '89 and charge back into the SB). Their defense came to life in both their games against Pittsburgh whose offense, not just their defense, was actually also improving as the season went on. They put up a convincing 40-burger on Houston near season's end, do another convincing 40 on them again in the 1st-Rd (make that...41), and then - despite injuries of their own - actually give Raiders a good game even prior to Bo going out. '97 G-men a real good candidate for worst. But '90 Bears will get the nod IMO.

The best? I'm going with '95 Packers. IMO they weren't better than Pittsburgh that year, but they did beat San Fran on the road in that divisional and didn't give Dallas all that bad a game in the NFCC. They were en route to championship-caliber the following two years. That said, '91 Oilers quite a worthy mention. Made no sense to me how they lose at Handley's G-men in the finale (a win, and they get 2nd-seed), barely beat Coz's 8-8 Jets in 1st-Rd, and don't do to Denver what they did to them during the regular season. Yes, game at Mile High, but still. Also thought of their '91 counterpart, Saints, but that 4-game skid following that 9-1 start and then going one-and-done vs Atl enough of a blemish. Montana's '93 Chiefs not a bad mere mention.

[JWL]

Some of these threads are too much. Wake me when it is time to rank the 17th best teams of odd-numbered years in the 1990s.