Is There Any Undefeated Teams In The Nfl?
Contents
As the NFL season winds down, there are a few teams that are still undefeated. But will they be able to stay undefeated?
Introduction
No, there are no undefeated teams in the NFL.
The last undefeated team
In the National Football League (NFL), a team that wins all of its regular season games is said to have gone “undefeated.” Though it is possible for a team to go undefeated and not win the Super Bowl (or even make it to the big game), it is very rare. In fact, since the NFL expanded its playoff format in 1967, only seven teams have completed the regular season with a perfect record. Of those seven teams, three won the Super Bowl and four did not.
The last NFL team to go undefeated was the New England Patriots, who did so during the 2007 regular season. The Patriots finished the year with a perfect 16-0 record before losing to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII. The Patriots came close to becoming the first team in NFL history to complete a 19-0 season, but fell just short in one of the most thrilling Super Bowls of all time.
The other six teams to finish an NFL season undefeated are as follows:
1972 Miami Dolphins (17-0): Won Super Bowl VII
1998 Denver Broncos (16-0): Lost Super Bowl XXXIII
1985 Chicago Bears (15-1): Won Super Bowl XX
2004 Pittsburgh Steelers (15-1): Lost AFC Championship Game
2009 Indianapolis Colts (14-2): Lost AFC Championship Game
2015 Carolina Panthers (15-1): Lost NFC Championship Game
Why there are no undefeated teams
With NFL training camps now in full swing and the preseason underway, there is one question on the minds of every football fan: will there be any undefeated teams this season?
The short answer is: probably not. In fact, it’s highly unlikely that any team will go all 16 regular season games without a loss.
There are a number of reasons for this. First, the NFL is a very competitive league with a lot of parity. There are no real “bad” teams anymore, and even the bottom-dwellers are usually capable of pulling off an upset on any given Sunday (or Thursday, or Monday).
Second, the NFL schedule is designed to ensure that each team plays every other team at least once during the season. This means that even the best teams will have to face off against tough opponents at some point.
Finally, with the current setup of the NFL playoffs, it’s very rare for an undefeated team to make it all the way to the Super Bowl. In fact, it’s only happened once in the last 20 years (the New England Patriots went 18-0 in 2007 before losing to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII).
So while it’s fun to dream about an undefeated season, it’s probably not going to happen. But that doesn’t mean we won’t see some great football this year!
The benefits of having an undefeated team
An undefeated team can provide many benefits to a city or region. An undefeated team can generate office morale, increase tourism, generate positive media attention and make people feel good about their city or region.
The disadvantages of having an undefeated team
While it may seem like a good thing to have an undefeated team, there are actually some disadvantages that come along with it. For one, the pressure to keep winning is intense and can often lead to players feeling stressed and anxious. Additionally, if a team is constantly winning, they may become complacent and lose their edge. Finally, when a team is undefeated, they often attract a lot of attention from both fans and the media, which can be overwhelming for players and coaches.
The impact of an undefeated team on the NFL
What if an NFL team went undefeated for an entire season? It’s a question that’s been asked many times, but it became a particularly hot topic of conversation in 2007 when the New England Patriots came within one game of going 16-0 in the regular season.
The Patriots ultimately lost that game to the New York Giants in what is considered one of the greatest upsets in NFL history. But the question remains: what would happen if an NFL team did manage to go undefeated?
There are a few things to consider. First, it would be extremely difficult to do. The NFL is designed such that even the best teams are typically only able to win around 60% of their games. So for a team to go 16-0 in the regular season, they would have to be almost perfect.
Second, even if an NFL team did manage to go undefeated, it’s unlikely that they would be able to win the Super Bowl. In order to win the Super Bowl, a team typically has to win three playoff games, including the AFC or NFC Championship game. And history shows us that it’s very difficult for teams to win three playoff games in a row, even if they are completely dominant during the regular season.
So while it’s certainly possible for an NFL team to go undefeated, it’s very unlikely that it will ever happen. And even if it does happen, it’s unlikely that the team would be able to win the ultimate prize: the Super Bowl.
Conclusion
Two teams still remain undefeated in the NFL as of Week 11: the New England Patriots and the San Francisco 49ers. The Patriots have an impressive 10-1 record, while the 49ers boast a 9-1 record. These two teams are on a collision course to meet in the Super Bowl, but there are still several weeks of football left to be played.
