It's one thing to be bad for one year. It's pretty impressive when you string together 3 or 4 seasons of losing big. But what about The Long Haul? How about the last 10 years? Who's the worst?
DOORMAT DIVISION 10-year STANDINGS
DETROIT LIONS 48-112
OAKLAND RAIDERS 49-111
CLEVELAND BROWNS 52-108
ST. LOUIS RAMS 56-103
BUFFALO BILLS 63-97
The Raiders are going to move into first by year's end, unless the Lions lose their last 4 and the Raiders win 3 or 4...and then the Browns could pass them both. But let's be realistic- The Raiders will be the new 10-year Kings this year.
Other fun facts: The Browns are going for 6 years in a row of 10 losses or more (and 12 of the last 15 seasons). The only teams to do that since the schedule expanded to 16 games in 1978 are the BUCCANEERS (what a surprise) who went Eleven straight seasons with at least 10 losses from 1983 to 1994, the RAIDERS (7 years in row 2003-2009), and the Lions, who lost 10 games 6 years in a row from 2001-2006 (and went 9 out of 10 years from 2001-2010 with at least 10 losses).
Again:
MOST SEASONS IN A ROW WITH AT LEAST 10 LOSSES (all time)
TAMPA BAY 11
RAIDERS 7
LIONS 6
BROWNS 5...6?
numerous teams have 5 years in a row.
These are the only teams to ever lose 10 or more 6 years or more in a row. It is not fair to compare against the teams that played only 12 or 14 games, as the expansion Saints would have probably done it 15 years in a row, or the Patriots, who also had a helluva run back in the late 60's. From 1990 to'98, the Rams had at least 10 losses 8 out of 9 seasons, missing the record by one game (7-9 in '95).
But when the schedule was 12 games, going 4-8 just didn't look that bad. 6-10 looks, and is, a lot worse. 10 losses six years in a row, and you are on the Doormat Honor Roll.
The Bills, though in a distant 5th, are going for 5 years in a row of 10 losses or more. They may be the new kids on the block, but they have the pieces in place to move up.
-wacko
Let's not forget the Bills haven't made the playoffs in 15 years.
ReplyDeleteBut the Bills have lost 4 Super Bowl games...Lions have never ever had that opportunity. Still "Kings of the Doormat" at least this week!
ReplyDeleteTrue the Lions have never been there, but the Bills lost FOUR SUPER BOWLS IN A ROW. That will probably never be duplicated. On the bright side yhey are still the only team to be in four in a row. Tbe AFC was weak in those days, but it was still a hell of an accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteYou know, the Super Bowl futility is a kind of losing all it's own. You were great all year, and then can't cash in in the big game. The Bills have never recovered, really, with Wade Phillips being no help (zero playoff wins with them) when he coached them. The Vikings have spread out their Super Bowl losses (0-4), but not all that spread out.
ReplyDeleteby the way, from 1946 to 1973 the Browns had exactly ONE losing season. In the last 40 years, they've been .500 or below 30 times.
ReplyDeleteONE more fun fact: Lions only team to ever go winless in two seasons (2008 and 1942)
ReplyDeleteGuys, I did my research and amended the facts on this page to include the real champs of losing, the Bucs and Raiders. Check it out.
ReplyDeleteSave for a Scott Norwood missed field goal, The Bills legacy could have been very different. jg
ReplyDeleteand Norwood could have opened a restaurant in Buffalo.
Deletehere's a link to the top 7 worst coaches in NFL history. Futility ! oddly enough, Singletary did not make the list, as it based strictly on win-loss percentage.
ReplyDeletehttp://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/7-worst-nfl-coaches-ever.html/?a=viewall
Singletary was, absolutely, just awful.
ReplyDeleteO boy, I sure remember Joe Bugel with the Raiders. Al Davis ate him alive.
ReplyDeleteWhat was Singletary's major malfunction? Was he just bat shit crazy from all the hits to the head? jg
ReplyDeleteLike dropping his drawers and mooning his own team after a particularly dismal performance? Like hilariously bad clock management? Or not actually knowing the rules? Or trying to just dismantle your quarterback's morale, one game at a time (Alex Smith)?
ReplyDeleteyes - all of the above. bat shit crazy too.
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