That’s right, we here at BroSports are hopping on the bandwagon, summing up the best of the last decade. We’re going to be talking everything from quarterbacks to hip hop albums to video games, ranking the top ten of the 2010’s. Today, Ryan takes on an interesting subject, the top ten teams that didn’t win the Super Bowl.
Top Ten of the 2010’s: Teams That Didn’t Win the Super Bowl
10. The 2010 San Diego Chargers
The 2010 San Diego Chargers are one of the most fascinating teams in NFL history. They were number one in offense, number one in defense, and yet, they missed the playoffs. It’s the only time in NFL history that such a thing has happened.
Though full disclosure, I can’t take any of the credit for this information. I only know just how good this team was because of the good folks at SB Nation. Give this video a watch, you won’t regret it.
9. The 2017 Jacksonville Jaguars
The 2017 Jacksonville Jaguars were one of the most complete teams in recent memory. Blake Bortles was good-not-great, but not bad, Leonard Fournette broke 1,000 yards, but if we’re being honest, the meat of this squad was on the defensive side of the ball.
Jalen Ramsey headed off a defense that was top five in every single category. They allowed the fewest yards, as well as the fewest yards per passing attempt, and the starting four in the secondary grabbed 18 interceptions.
However, their season ended as many AFC powerhouse’s have, in Foxboro, against Tom Brady and the dreaded New England Patriots, albeit in the AFC Championship game.
8. The 2018 Kansas City Chiefs
In an era where passing offenses are everything, few teams have been as explosive as the 2018 Kansas City Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes, in his first season as a starter, tossed for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns. Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce established themselves as dominant playmakers, and they got all the way to overtime in the AFC Championship.
Sadly, they ran into, you guessed it, the Patriots, and their porous defense never gave Mahomes a chance to win the game. However, that doesn’t mean that NFL fans can’t appreciate everything that Andy Reid‘s squad did last season.
7. The 2011 New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees went off in 2011. He threw for 5,476 yards, 46 touchdowns, and helped the team win 13 games. They had a three-headed monster in the backfield, Jimmy Graham established himself as one of the NFL’s best tight ends, and they finished the regular season with nine straight wins.
They sent Matt Stafford and the Detroit Lions packing in the first round, but eventually fell to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round.
6. The 2017 Pittsburgh Steelers
How, oh how, did the Pittsburgh Steelers really blow this? At one point, they had Ben Roethlisberger in his prime, Le’Veon Bell at his peak, and quirky-not-crazy Antonio Brown on the same offense. In 2017, they even added JuJu Smith-Schuster, T.J. Watt, and a top ten defense, they still couldn’t get it done. They lost a 45-42 stunner in the divisional round to Blake Bortles and the 2017 Jaguars. You might ask, since the ’17 Jags beat the ’17 Steelers, why not swap spots?
Because this represents every Super Bowl the killer B’s didn’t win in Pittsburgh. Effin’ embarrassing.
5. The 2010 New England Patriots
The 2010 New England Patriots had the NFL’s number one offense, the number eight defense, forced a ton of turnovers, and protected their own possessions. They won eight straight to end the season, locking up the first round bye, and seemingly preparing for yet another run at the Super Bowl.
Instead? They ran into Rex Ryan, Mark Sanchez, and the New York Jets in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Jets pummeled the Patriots, leading by double digits on two different occasions before finishing the game 28-21. Ouch.
4. The 2014 Seattle Seahawks
Man, these Seahawk teams were incredible, weren’t they? They made two-straight Super Bowl appearances, crushing a certain Denver team in their first one, and losing the second, to the New England Patriots, in dramatic style. This team had it all. They had Russell Wilson coming into his own, Marshawn Lynch at his best, and the legendary Legion of Boom secondary in full effect. They overcame so much adversity, and at one point, held a ten point lead over the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
Sadly, it didn’t last, and when the game was on the line, the wrong man got the ball at the goal line.
3. The 2011 Green Bay Packers
There have been so few 15-1 NFL teams, especially NFL teams with league MVPs… but sadly, this list has two of them. Aaron Rodgers won league MVP in 2011 after a 4,643 yard, 45 touchdown, and only six interception season. This roster had it all. Rodgers, Jordy Nelson, Charles Woodson, Clay Matthews, and obviously, locked up the first seed in the playoffs.
How’d the season end? They hosted the New York Giants in the divisional round of the playoffs, and got blown out. An iconic season, ended in a blowout to Eli Manning. Oof.
2. The 2015 Carolina Panthers
I really thought the 2015 Carolina Panthers were going to run away with this Super Bowl. Peyton Manning hadn’t been himself that season, Cam Newton was the league MVP, and Luke Kuechly was playing his best football. I thought they were going to come in and bully the Broncos, but it was Von Miller who did the bullying.
However, the squad did go 15-1, were top ten in offense and defense, and stormed past the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks on the way to the big game. The Panthers never really returned to form after that Super Bowl loss, even with the addition of stud playmaker, Christian McCaffrey.
1. The 2013 Denver Broncos
The 2013 Denver Broncos had one of the most explosive offenses in NFL history. Peyton Manning rewrote the NFL record book, throwing for 5,477 yards, 55 touchdowns, and the AFC’s best record. They cruised past the division rival Chargers before stomping out Manning’s biggest rival, Tom Brady’s New England Patriots, in the conference championship. You have to remember, at this point, Brady hadn’t won a Super Bowl since 2004, and Peyton looked like a near lock to pick up his second.
The biggest breaking point in the “GOAT” argument was always Manning’s stats vs. Brady’s rings, if Manning won his second ring and his numbers were better, he’d finally have the edge over his rival. But… that’s not what happened.
They ran into the 2013 Seattle Seahawks, and the game might as well have been over before it started. The Broncos botched their first snap, resulting in a safety, and the Seahawks never gave up the lead. In fact, they only gave up a single score in the entire game, a touchdown with a two-point conversion to make the score 36-8 at the end of the third quarter.
While they might’ve gotten spanked in the big game, the Denver Broncos still had a fantastic regular season, and were easily one of the NFL’s best squads in the league’s history.
Narcissistic Penguin 
Leave a Reply