Worst ONE-AND-DONE playoff teams ever

[BD Sullivan]

1967 Browns
1969 Oilers
1971 Browns
1974 Bills

'74 Bills? Why? Not asking this in an implied "I disagree" way, but seriously in an "enlighten me" way. I know the early-'70s Bills as a complete team were never anything special. They could never beat Miami even once. Only made the playoffs that one year. However, though not a great team, at least good with their D and obvious OJ (and a not too bad at all QB in Fergie). Didn't they beat Oakland in the (MNF) opener? Again, I'm no 'expert' on this team, but explain why they're one of the 'worst' to go one-and-out? The competition in the AFC was not too generous in that era (Mia, Pitt, Oak). Heck, Paul Brown didn't win a playoff game for Cincy either.

They did beat Oakland in the MNF opener, but needed a last-minute drive to win it. In their remaining eight wins, the teams they beat ended up having a collective record of 39-73. They did beat what looked to be a much-improved New England team in both games--by a combined total of three points. In the playoff game, the Bills fell apart in the second quarter, giving up 26 unanswered points to the Steelers. The fact that they never made it back to the playoffs for another seven years gives this team something of a fluke label.

[Bryan]

I know the early-'70s Bills as a complete team were never anything special. However, though not a great team, at least good with their D and obvious OJ (and a not too bad at all QB in Fergie).

The Bills defense in the 70's was pretty terrible throughout the decade. In an era dominated by Steel Curtain, Purple People Eaters, etc. the Bills were a strange team. OJ Simpson was arguably the greatest player of the decade regardless of position. In 1975 they led the NFL in scoring by a fairly wide margin but missed the postseason because their defense was so bad (they did beat the Steelers in a rematch of the 1974 divisional playoff, the only team to beat the 75 Steelers with something at stake).

[7DnBrnc53]

1969 Oilers

That year, the AFL messed up in just taking the two second-place teams. They should have taken the two best non-division winners in the whole league.

If they had, it would have been SD at Oakland instead, which would have been a much better game. The Chargers played them tough that season, losing by only five at Oakland in Week 10 before ripping off four straight wins to end the season (one of them being against Houston).

[Reaser]

1948 Colts (though I like watching them.)

The league structure didn't make sense since there was no need for arbitrary divisions. Then the Colts lost at home in the division playoff.

The 7-7 team was the best season the Colts ever had, the prior year they went 2-11-1, and in 1949 and in their lone season in the NFL they went 1-11 both seasons.

[74_75_78_79_]

Hmm, nice point out, Reaser! Had no idea whatsoever about them; almost thought it was a joke. Poor SF...12-2 and boxed out. An AAFC-version precursor to the '67 Colts perhaps?

[CSKreager]

1985 Browns

[Todd Pence]

1948 Colts (though I like watching them.)

The league structure didn't make sense since there was no need for arbitrary divisions.

You could say the same thing about the AFL from 1960-65. The eight teams all played home and away round robin schedules. yet arbitrary division standings were kept. In 1963, the Raiders posted a 10-4 record under this system only to watch at home while two 7-6-1 squads (Boston and Buffalo) played for the right to face the Chargers in the title game.

[BD Sullivan]

1985 Browns

Not sure about that, even if they lucked into the fact that they were in a lousy division that year. They had a 21-3 third quarter lead over Miami in their playoff game before folding. Plus, they ended up reaching the AFC title game in three of the next four seasons.

[JohnH19]

Some of what are considered the 'worst-ever' playoff teams actually won their first game. The '98 Cards, '04 Rams, '10 Hawks are examples as I just quoted in one of the threads from The Football Outsiders via wiki. Other examples are the '83 Rams, '94 Bears, '04 Vikes, and my very own '89 Steelers. IYOs, what are the worst playoff teams ever that lost right-off-the-bat as they "should have"? '82 season, of course, doesn't count.

'68, '78, and '80 Vikes, '70 Bengals, '95 Falcons good starting points.

Sorry to resurrect this dead thread but there's no way the '68 Vikings belong on this list. This is the same team that matured into a powerhouse for the next 8 years.

[CSKreager]

Some of what are considered the 'worst-ever' playoff teams actually won their first game. The '98 Cards, '04 Rams, '10 Hawks are examples as I just quoted in one of the threads from The Football Outsiders via wiki. Other examples are the '83 Rams, '94 Bears, '04 Vikes, and my very own '89 Steelers. IYOs, what are the worst playoff teams ever that lost right-off-the-bat as they "should have"? '82 season, of course, doesn't count.

'68, '78, and '80 Vikes, '70 Bengals, '95 Falcons good starting points.

Sorry to resurrect this dead thread but there's no way the '68 Vikings belong on this list. This is the same team that matured into a powerhouse for the next 8 years.

And they actually gave the vaunted Colts a pretty decent game for 2.5 quarters.