Power Ranking The Decade:
The Update
by Chris Brophy
10/2/2009
Last season the Diner offered a power ranking of the decade so far and with another season gone by it's time for an update. Who has climbed? Who has dropped like a stone? Read on to find out. The change from last year's position is noted in brackets.
 32, Detroit Lions (No change)
Record: 40 - 104 (0.278);
Play-off Appearances: None
Division Titles: None
Super Bowl Appearances: None
31, Houston Texans (Down 1)
Record: 42 - 72 (0.368)
Play-off Appearances: None
Division Titles: None
Super Bowl Appearances: None
30, Buffalo Bills (Down 1)
Record: 60 - 84 (0.416)
Play-off Appearances: None
Division Titles: None
Super Bowl Appearances: None
29, Cleveland Browns (Down 1)
Record: 52 - 92 (0.361)
Play-off Appearances: One (0-1)
Division Titles: None
Super Bowl Appearances: None
28, Cincinnati Bengals (Down 1)
Record: 55 – 85 - 1 (0.381)
Play-off Appearances: One (0-1)
Division Titles: None
Super Bowl Appearances: None
No real changes here. The Lions stay rooted to the bottom and likely guarantee they will remain there until the decade ends with their imperfect season. The Texans early franchise history isn't exactly bright but they already have more wins this decade than the Lions who have played a couple of seasons more. All the others never improved their standing over the last year and slip a spot because of the Cardinals improbable climb from also-rans to NFC Champs.
 27, Kansas City Chiefs (Down 7)
Record: 62 - 78 (0.430)
Play-off Appearances: Two (0-2)
Division Titles: One (2003)
Super Bowl Appearances: None
26, San Francisco 49ers (No change)
Record: 60 - 84 (0.416)
Play-off Appearances: Two (1-2)
Division Titles: One (2002)
Super Bowl Appearances: None
25, Washington Redskins (Down 1)
Record: 66 - 78 (0.458)
Play-off Appearances: Two (1-2)
Division Titles: None
Super Bowl Appearances: None
24, Arizona Cardinals (Up 7)
Record: 52 - 92 (0.361)
Play-off Appearances: One (3-1)
Division Titles: One
Super Bowl Appearances: One
The Chiefs are the biggest fallers as despite some entertaining football in 2008 a 2-14 record hurts badly. A year ago they had a .500 record for the decade, now they are closer to .400. The Cardinals climb on the back of a Super Bowl appearance and whilst their overall record is worst than most of the teams above them most of them would happily swap places with the Cards.
23, Oakland Raiders (Down 2)
Record: 57 - 87 (0.395)
Play-off Appearances: Three (4-3)
Division Titles: Three (2000, 2001, 2002)
Super Bowl Appearances: One (2002)
22, New York Jets (Down 4)
Record: 71 - 73 (0.493)
Play-off Appearances: Four (2-4)
Division Titles: One (2002)
Super Bowl Appearances: None
21, Dallas Cowboys (Down 2)
Record: 71 - 73 (0.493)
Play-off Appearances: Three (0-3)
Division Titles: One (2007)
Super Bowl Appearances: None
20, Atlanta Falcons (Up 5)
Record: 66 - 77 - 1 (0.458)
Play-off Appearances: Three (2-3)
Division Titles: One (2004)
Super Bowl Appearances: None
Three teams that all slip based on teams climbing out of the bottom of the barrel but also in the case of all three teams, big money being spent to improve the franchise hasn't resulted in any significant improvement. The Jets and Raiders both dumped their coaches and the Cowboys need to admit Jerry Jones is really the Head Coach. The Falcons may not have the win-loss records of some of the teams above them but they have a bright future and are currently on a high – a team that everyone else in the lower ranks can definitely be jealous of.
19, St Louis Rams (Down 6)
Record: 70 - 74 (0.486)
Play-off Appearances: Four (3-4)
Division Titles: Two (2001, 2003)
Super Bowl Appearances: One (2001)
 18, Jacksonville Jaguars (Down 2)
Record: 69 - 75 (0.479)
Play-off Appearances: Two (1-2)
Division Titles: None
Super Bowl Appearances: None
17, New Orleans Saints (No change)
Record: 70 - 74 (0.486)
Play-off Appearances: Two (2-2)
Division Titles: Two (2000, 2006)
Super Bowl Appearances: None
16, Minnesota Vikings (Up 6)
Record: 72 - 72 (0.500)
Play-off Appearances: Three (2-3)
Division Titles: Two (2000, 2008)
Super Bowl Appearances: None
15, Miami Dolphins (Up 8)
Record: 72 - 72 (0.500)
Play-off Appearances: Three (1-3)
Division Titles: Two (2000, 2008)
Super Bowl Appearances: None
Two of the biggest risers feature here. The Dolphins proved to be Lazarus-like in 2008 and whilst some might point to the Patriots and Tom Brady's injury the AFC East is a tough nut to crack and to do it from a 1-15 season previous deserves credit. The Vikings showed some of their potential in 2008 but there rise is also in part to slips by the likes of the Jags and Saints who couldn't fulfil their potential. The Rams early decade Super Bowl appearance is a long lost memory now and the disaster of last year is rightfully punished.
14, Denver Broncos (Down 3)
Record: 85 - 59 (0.590)
Play-off Appearances: Four (1-4)
Division Titles: One (2005)
Super Bowl Appearances: None
13, Chicago Bears (Down 3)
Record: 74 - 70 (0.513)
Play-off Appearances: Three (2-3)
Division Titles: Three (2001, 2004, 2005)
Super Bowl Appearances: One
Down go both of these teams. The Broncos choked a divisional title away and lost arguably their best ever coach because of it so despite their impressive win-loss record, their ability to keep coming up short costs them here. The Bears are victims of others improving more recently than they have.
12, Seattle Seahawks (down 3)
Record: 77 - 67 (0.535)
Play-off Appearances: Five
Division Titles: Four (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
Super Bowl Appearances: One (2005)
 11, San Diego Chargers (Up 3)
Record: 72 - 72 (0.500)
Play-off Appearances: Four (3-4)
Division Titles: Four (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008)
Super Bowl Appearances: None
10, Carolina Panthers (Up 5)
Record: 71 - 73 (0.493)
Play-off Appearances: Three (5-3)
Division Titles: Two (2003, 2005, 2008)
Super Bowl Appearances: One
9, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (down 1)
Record: 76 - 68 (0.528)
Play-off Appearances: Five (3-4)
Division Titles: Two (2002, 2007)
Super Bowl Appearances: One (2002)
World Championships: One (2002)
I was of the mind to punish the Buccaneers more for their late season collapse and the firing of Jon Gruden but that World Championship means they can never be punished too harshly for the rest of this decade. The Panthers rise is based on winning a tough division despite their disappointing play-off loss. It helps the Seahawks slipped and the fact it's in a poor division means their numbers for the decade always look rather inflated. The Chargers also climb after managing to scrap into post season again but a weak division and their pre-season expectations don't see them rewarded as much as the Panthers.
8, Tennessee Titans (up 4)
Record: 83 - 61 (0.576)
Play-off Appearances: Five (2-5)
Division Titles: Three (2000, 2002, 2008)
Super Bowl Appearances: None
It's a big rise for the Titans as they break into the top ten. Their failure to win in post season is what is costing them a top five place though.
7, Green Bay Packers (No change)
Record: 82 - 62 (0.569)
Play-off Appearances: Five (3-5)
Division Titles: Four (2002, 2003, 2004, 2007)
Super Bowl Appearances: None
The Packers were considered for a slip behind Titans rise but given they lost the NFL's all time leading passer in such strange circumstances and they still have more glory for the rest of the decade they stay put for now. Another poor season in '09 might cost them a top ten place in the future though.
6, Philadelphia Eagles (No change)
Record: 92 - 51 - 1 (0.639)
Play-off Appearances: Seven (9-7)
Division Titles: Five (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006)
Super Bowl Appearances: One (2004)
5, Baltimore Ravens (No change)
Record: 83 - 61 (0.576)
Play-off Appearances: Four (5-3)
Division Titles: Two (2003, 2006)
Super Bowl Appearances: One (2000)
World Championships: One (2000)
4, New York Giants (No change)
Record: 80 - 64 (0.556)
Play-off Appearances: Six (6-5)
Division Titles: Three (2000, 2005, 2008)
Super Bowl Appearances: Two (2000, 2007)
World Championships: One (2007)
No change for these three teams who have all enjoyed fine seasons in 2008. The Eagles had to pull their finger out at the end and the this time last year you'd have put money on the Ravens slipping but they proved many of us wrong.
3, Indianapolis Colts (down 1)
Record: 101 - 43 (0.701)
Play-off Appearances: Seven (6-5)
Division Titles: Five (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
Super Bowl Appearances: One (2006)
World Championships: One (2006)
2, Pittsburgh Steelers (up one)
Record: 94 - 50 (0.652)
Play-off Appearances: Six (10-4)
Division Titles: Six (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008)
Super Bowl Appearances: Two (2005, 2008)
World Championships: Two (2005, 2008)
The Steelers second championship of the decade sees them jump up a spot and they are now hot on the heels of the Patriots. The Colts as one of the only two teams to be past 100 wins in the noughties might feel a little hard done by but you can't tell me they wouldn't swap seven wins with the Steelers for one of those Championships.
1, New England Patriots (No change)
Record: 102 - 42 (0.708)
Play-off Appearances: Six (14-3)
Division Titles: Six (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
Super Bowl Appearances: Four (2001, 2003, 2004, 2007)
World Championships: Three (2001, 2003, 2004)
Despite missing the play-offs the Patriots remain top of the tree but they are certainly not looking quite as much the lock they were this time last year. If the Steelers were to repeat as champs next year it would get very interesting at the top but it might take another play-off miss for the Patriots to make that a reality with their superior won loss record, extra Super Bowl appearance and a perfect regular season in amongst their three world championships.
|
